Country pushed towards violence announcing polls schedule: BNP

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Opposition BNP on Tuesday alleged that the country has been pushed towards violence by announcing the schedule for 10th general election without any political compromise.

 

“The government’s puppet Election Commission has disrespected, mocked and vilified people’s hopes and aspirations by announcing the election schedule. The government and the Election Commission pushed the country towards violence with their facial decision,” said BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

 

The BNP leader came up with the remarks while addressing a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office about the first day of their 48-hour countrywide blockade.

 

He alleged that the government is moving ahead with its plan to re-establish one-party rule Baksal by holding unilateral polls.

 

Rizvi said the current regime is applying its all evil designs to hold an election keeping the opposition out of the race, as per the blueprint of the Prime Minister. “We think the ongoing crisis could be resolved if the Prime Minister resigns,” the BNP leader observed.

 

Rizvi also alleged that the education and examinations of the students are being hampered as the government and the commission announced the election schedule for a lopsided election without reaching an understanding over the polls-time administration.

 

Replying to a question, Rizvi said BNP is still eager to have the crisis resolved through talks. “But we’re not getting any such indication from the government side.”

 

 

 

He said there is still a chance for a meaningful dialogue if the government comes forward with a positive attitude.

 

Reaffirming the opposition’s stance over not joining the polls under the incumbent administration, Rizvi said, “We want to clearly state that the country’s people will foil the government’s move to hold a unilateral election.”

 

He alleged that the government got desperate and let loose the members of police, Rab, BGB and ruling party cadres on the common people to foil the opposition’s programme for establishing people’s voting rights.

 

The BNP leader claimed that they have information about the law enforcers who are doing excesses to suppress the opposition’s movement. “They must face trial for their cats.”

 

Rizvi claimed that three opposition men were killed in firings and attacks by the law enforcers and ruling party cadres during the first 10 hours of the 48-hour blockade as of 4pm on Monday.

 

Besides, he said, police arrested over 400 opposition activists across the country during the hartal hours, while more than 1,100 were injured in attacks by law enforcers and ‘ruling party cadres’.

 

Over 4,000 opposition men were implicated in fresh ‘false’ cases, he further claimed.

 

On Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad announced the schedule for the national election.

 

Rejecting the election schedule, the BNP-led 18-party demanded that the election schedule be suspended until there is a political consensus over the polls-time government.

 

They also enforced a 48-hour rail-road-waterway blockade from 6am on Monday, protesting the announcement of the schedule.

Source: UNB Connect