- BNP, Jamaat and Islami Andolon including 64 parties out of votes
- Thousands of leaders jailed from opposition parties
- BNP says the AL led-govt won't get legitimacy
The 12th parliamentary election will be held on January 7. There is no interest in voting in the large political part of the country as the total of 64 political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat and Islami Andolon, did not participate in the election under a partisan government.
Grassroots leaders from the BNP high command are passing a bad time without going to the polls. At least 100 top BNP leaders, including its second leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and local committee leaders, are in jail. About 25,000 leaders and activists are imprisoned during the election festival across the country. In the last 2/3 months, about 1300 leaders and activists have been punished, most of whom will not be able to participate in the election. During the election campaign, none of the anti-government leaders and activists could stay at home. BNP media cell has published pictures of wives, children, parents leaving their homes and spending time in the forest to avoid arrest. Despite passing such a difficult time, there is no frustration among the grassroots leaders and workers from the high command. They think that BNP is in the right decision this time. In the past, the government has made it clear that no fair and credible election can be held under the incumbent government. Whatever an influential person of Awami League (AL) said that the result of the election is done, so most of the parties including BNP, think this not right to go to polls.
Reliable leaders of BNP said that the current politics of Bangladesh will change very soon. There will be no acceptable election on the 7th, the government will not get the legitimacy of power. It involves not only constitutional obligations, but also the legitimacy of power, democracy, political settlement. Even if there is an election, the people of the country will not give legitimacy to this government. People don't go to the polling stations.
After speaking to BNP's two vice-chairmen and at least three executive committee members, they said that no fair election is being held in the country. The ruling government is the candidates, they are the dummy, and they are the independents. They had a big plan to push the government with big programs before the election. But they are walking on the diplomatic path after knowing that the ruling government can blame BNP by carrying out anarchy and sabotage.
They also said that this time BNP will not fall into the trap of AL, rather AL itself will fall into the trap of BNP. If the incumbent government had held the election through an agreement with all political parties, then the departure of the government would have been easier to some extent. The government's departure will not be easy. There will be no election in Bangladesh without BNP, but it will not get legitimacy. It is only a matter of time before the tragic consequences of the path that this government has walked, ignoring everything domestic and foreign. Reliable leaders of the party said that even if the election is held, the incumbent government will have to leave with very bad consequences. Then there will be some reforms in the country. Then another election will be held soon. No political party will come to power directly in Bangladesh without political influence, judicial system and economic reforms. The BNP also agrees with this reform method.
The BNP-Jamaat and like-minded parties observed a five-day hartal in four phases after the cancellation of the BNP rally in Dhaka on October 28. The hartal was called yesterday and the day before the election. Besides, they have blocked road, rail and waterways across the country for 23 days in 12 phases. Since December 26, mass contact and leaflet distribution programs have been held for eight consecutive days in three phases. The party will hold rallies across the country from today. BNP leaders and activists are complaining that people have responded to their programs. No one is going to vote on the 7th. But the ruling party is going from house to house in the village to scare the people. In some areas, voters' ID cards are also being taken. It is being said to vote and take the voter ID. They are also threatening to cut the electricity and gas lines if ordinary citizens do not go to the polling centers.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that no election is being held in the country. No conscious citizen will go to the polling center. This government has given a lot of drama to the citizens of the country. On the 7th, another drama is being held. The people will not spare this government. The departure of this government will be very difficult. This government will be ousted through a mass movement with the people of the country.
Sushashaner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder said that no election is being held in the country. You can't call it an election. The 2008 election was competitive. The next election is one-sided. The 2018 election was participatory but not competitive. But this year's election is neither participatory nor competitive. There are two political parties in Bangladesh, one AL and the other BNP. An acceptable election is not possible without one of them. In a word, the election will not be acceptable at home and abroad without BNP.
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram said that no election will be competitive without BNP. What is happening now is seat sharing. It has already been decided who will be a member of parliament in which seat. The rest is the brother brother game in AL. If the election is held with a few brokers excluding BNP-Jamaat, it will not be participatory, it will not be competitive. He also said that the leaders of Jatiya Party and 14-party have been working as obedient to AL for a long time. This time, they are still in the polls and some new brokers have been added. The government will not get away with this. This government will not be able to stay in power, the government will be gone. It's not going to be an easy goodbye. Many people can die. Many types of accidents can happen in Bangladesh.
ARS
