BNP today urged the Election Commission to stay away from the decision of using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the upcoming Dhaka north and south city corporation elections.

“We think the decision of using EVMs in the elections is a part of the conspiracy to snatch people’s voting rights permanently,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Fakhrul was addressing a press conference at party Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office in Dhaka this afternoon.

“From the sense of responsibility to protect people’s voting rights, we condemn the decision of using the EVMs in the election and urge the constitutional body to cancel its decision immediately, paving the path of ensuring people’s voting rights through ballot papers,” he said.

The elections to Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation will be held on January 30.

The last date for submitting nomination papers was December 31. The EC scrutinised nomination papers on January 2. The last date for withdrawal of candidacy is January 9.