BNP Candidate Calls for Female Voters to Unveil Faces Inside Polling Stations

BNP candidate for the Sylhet-4 constituency, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, has called for female voters arriving at polling centers to remove their face veils (niqab) before casting their votes.

He made the demand on Tuesday (February 10) after meeting with the Returning Officer in Sylhet. In this constituency, Ariful Haque is contesting against Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Zainal Abedin.

Presenting his argument, Ariful Haque said women may come to polling stations wearing burqas, but they should remove their niqab inside the center before voting. He claimed that some individuals might attempt to cast fraudulent votes while concealing their identities. He also said that reports of large-scale purchases of burqas have circulated in the election field, prompting him to raise the issue with election officials.

The BNP leader further alleged that there have been reports of some individuals preparing fake police uniforms. He also noted that several polling centers in border areas have limited accessibility, raising concerns that attempts could be made to snatch ballot boxes.

In light of these concerns, he called for the deployment of additional law enforcement personnel in such areas to ensure security.