Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of BNP, on Sunday continues its demonstration in front of Nirbachan Bhaban protesting the Election Commission’s ‘biased and controversial’ role ahead of the upcoming national election slated for February 12 next.

JCD activists staged a sit-in programme at 10:00am in front of the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city’s Agargaon area, protesting the EC’s role and raising three allegations against the commission related to the issues including the postal ballots and the SUCSU election.

The JCD leaders accused the EC’s biased and questionable decisions on postal ballots, which have raised serious doubts about the impartiality of the election process.

They alleged that the commission takes unwise and short-sighted decisions instead of responsible and rational decisions under pressure from a particular political group, which makes the independence and professionalism of the commission into question.

The JCD leaders strongly criticised what they termed an unprecedented and controversial notification issued by the Election Commission concerning the Shahjalal University Central Student Union (SUCSU) election due to direct influence and interference by a specific political party.

They warned that such actions pose a serious threat to democratic practices in the university.

“We’ve seen that a particular political group exerted influence over the ballot papers and carried out such activities. And these activities were definitely carried out with the direct incitement and support of those sitting here (EC),” said JCD president Rakibul Islam Rakib, addressing the demonstration.

EC’s Hearing Underway

Meanwhile, the Election Commission continues its final day’s hearing of appeal petitions filed against the returning officers over the acceptance and cancellation of nomination papers during the scrutiny.

The Commission, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, started the hearing at 10:00 am and is supposed to hear some 35 petitions scheduled for Sunday and also a good number of pending petitions over candidacies of BNP and Jamaat candidates as the EC is going to end the hearing and disposal of all the appeal petitions on Sunday.