BNP again demands fresh nat’l election

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has reiterated his party's demand that a fresh national election be held under a 'neutral government'.

Rejecting the results of the December 30 election once again, he said the new parliament, which went into its first session on Wednesday, doesn't represent the country's people, as widespread vote rigging took place in the last election.

The BNP leader made the remarks at a human chain organised by the party in front of the National Press Club in the city on Wednesday to register its protest against the new parliament.

Fakhrul Islam said the ruling Awami League has formed the government through a rigged election conducted with the help of the Election Commission (EC), administration and law enforcement agencies, depriving the people of their right to franchise.

Scores of false cases were filed and thousands of people were arrested before the elections so that general people do not turn up at the polling centres, he added.

Claiming that the government imprisoned BNP chief Khaleda Zia in false cases and exiled the party's acting chairperson Tarique Rahman from the country, he said the government plotted 'conspiracies' to destroy democracy.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said, "We didn't participate in the 2014 election, as we feared that no fair polls can be held under a political government, but many criticised us at that time for taking such a decision."

"Now the December 30 elections have proved that our previous decision of boycotting the election was right. It is now an established fact that no fair election is possible under the government of Sheikh Hasina," he said.

On the December 29 night before the election day, the ruling party cadres with the help of the administration robbed the people of their right to franchise, said the senior BNP leader.

Demanding fresh national polls, he said no election was held on December 30.

BNP standing committee member Maudud Ahmed said a fact-based 'white paper' will be published soon on the 11th national parliamentary elections to show that people has lost their right to vote.

Claiming that only five to seven per cent voters were able to cast their votes in the last election, he said general voters had no involvement in this election managed by the police and the administration.

He also demanded that a fresh election be held under a non-partisan government after dissolving the current parliament.

BNP leaders Dr Abdul Moyeen, Selima Rahman, Abdus Salam and Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury, among others, joined the human chain.

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