BNP will stay in race unless they are 'kicked out'

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The BNP will stay in the Bhola-3 by-election scheduled for tomorrow race unless they are 'kicked out', reports UNB.
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain said the party would not withdraw from the Bhola by-election and stay in the race unless they were 'given out, kicked out and shot out.'
He made the remarks at a press briefing at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office Thursday, as reporters asked about the party's stance following BNP candidate Hafizuddin Ahmed's request for deferring the by-election by a week.
Delwar, however, termed Hafiz's demand logical, as there still remained illegal arms, which need to be recovered for a free, fair and peaceful election.
The BNP secretary general again warned that consequences would 'not be good' if the Election Commission (EC) resorted to stage-managing the election.
In this regard, Delwar reminded newsmen that the consequences might then resemble those following the Magura by-election in 1994.
He said the circumstances surrounding the Magura by-election had not come to pass quite like the Bhola-3 election, (he said it was a fair election) but still the then opposition Awami League had boycotted the Parliament and waged their anti-government movement.
Terming the Election Commission an agent of the government, he said the EC was busy in implementing the blueprint of the government in Bhola-3 to ensure a win for the ruling party candidate.
Delwar said people were concerned that ballot papers would have been filled up and put in ballot boxes on the polling day.
He said the Awami League (AL) was trying to prove some level of popularity by snatching the election through terrorism, rigging and using the administration, as well as creating panic in the constituency to prevent voters from casting their votes.
Delwar alleged that a group of journalists formed a 'syndicate' and are making reports in favour of a party (ruling party). A more serious allegation from him was that many criminals and activists of the ruling party had disguised themselves as journalists and become election observers.
He urged honest and courageous journalists to rush to the constituency to observe the election.
The BNP secretary general also protested and condemned the attack on a BNP demonstration Wednesday in the capital, by the ruling party and its front and associate organisations under the cover of police.
He echoed the demand to resolve the utilities crisis across the country, as it was the demand of the people. The BNP, as a political party, must speak in favour of the people to put an end to the crisis.
Delwar warned that by repression or letting loose the 'petoa bahini' the government couldn't stop the movement. If it continued to try, the consequences would not be good, something that had been proved again and again, and also would be again in the future, he said.
The BNP secretary general also criticised recent remarks by AL leader Suranjit Sengupta over oath-taking of the newly appointed High Court (HC) judges and questioned whether the appointment of an accused as the HC judge was constitutional.
BNP leaders Abdul Latif Jony, Asadul Karim Shahin, Abdul Salam Azad, Rafiq Sikder, and Sarafat Ali Sapu were also present at the press briefing.