Govt creating confusion over polls, alleges Rizvi

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that the interim government is creating confusion over fixing election date.
The government once said elections will be held in December, then in March and again in June. Instead of making such statements, the nation needs to be reassured with a cleat and specific dateline for election, he demanded.
Rizvi made the comments while speaking at a programme to distribute Eid gifts among rickshaw-van pullers and auto-rickshaw drivers on behalf of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman at the party's Nayapaltan central office in the capital on Friday.
The BNP leader said many people say the July movement was for not only to hold election. But the movement was carried out because fallen government prime minister Sheikh Hasina did not ensure a free, fair and neutral election.
She tried to retain power by turning the country into a bloody Karbala.
Rizvi said, "When the agitating parties are talking about the election, you (interim government) should announce a specific time frame so that the election is not delayed. But again and again I hear (the polls will be held) in December, in March, ins June."
The interim government is making such statements like a pendulum. The nation needs to be reassured with a definite dateline, he added.
He also questioned why the workers of 122 garment factories have not received their salaries yet.
Rizvi said 17 rickshaw-pullers lost their lives in July's mass uprising, adding, it is unthinkable how painful it would be if their children cry after the victory of the movement as they are unable to pay their school fees.
The state has to take responsibility for their education and their families.
Rizvi also said Ishraque Hossain has been declared by the court as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to establish justice. So, it does not matter what someone wrote on social media.
BNP leader Ishraque Hossain also responded to the criticism following the court order.
According to the Local Government Election Act, a complaint has to be made within 30 days after the election and the case was made within that 30 days.
Although there is a legal provision for the case to be settled within the next 180 days, it was obstructed during the previous fascist Hasina government, he said.
Ishraque said the case proceedings were conducted after ensuring proper legal procedures, adding that witnesses were heard, arguments were held.
He said, “ I got justice finally.”