Last city elections blemish in history

The last elections in Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations will remain as a blemish in the history of democracy as the government rigged votes in those openly, pro-BNP professionals told a book launch yesterday.

"We [BNP-backed candidates] did not lose in the polls for our weaknesses. We lost as the total election was turned into a farce due to vote rigging by the ruling party," said former vice chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Emajuddin.

Dhaka Adorsha Andolon which supported pro-BNP candidates in the city corporation polls organised the launch of the book "City Corporation Election 2015, Rigging and Irregularities, At Large."

The 169-page book, published by the platform, compiled the clippings of different newspapers from home and abroad and comments of representatives of foreign countries and organisations over the polls. 

Emajuddin, also convenor of the Andolon, lambasted the Election Commission, saying the commission had a responsibility for the farcical polls.

Describing the reasons behind publishing the book, he said it was not to insult anyone but to help restoration of democracy.

He observed that the book would be a historical document after some years, and researchers would be able to know what happened in the city polls from it.

Afroza Abbas, the wife of BNP-backed mayor candidate Mirza Abbas in Dhaka south, said though they could not win, they showed to the world what happened in the elections.