Fakhrul: Awami League has become a public enemy

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BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaks with local BNP leaders and activists in Bogra on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 Dhaka Tribune

Fakhrul said, ‘We have rejected the results of the election. All the parties have united and said that the results of this election will be boycotted’

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Awami League has separated from the people after the December 30 general election.

He said: “Awami League has turned into a public enemy today. They have destroyed the electoral process. After the election, they have isolated themselves from the public.”

Fakhrul made the remarks, while interacting with BNP members and organizing leaders at Hotel Momo Inn in Bogra on Wednesday.

He furthered: “We have rejected the results of the election. All the parties have united and said that the results of this election will be boycotted.”

BNP leaders Saiful Islam, Joynal Abedin Chan, AKM Mahbubur Rahman, Rezaul Karim Badsha, and Golam Mohammad Siraj were present, among others.

Terming the Awami League leaders’ speeches as lies, the BNP secretary general said: “Winning the election through vote-rigging, they [Awami League] are saying that they won by people’s mandate. But survey says 99% of the people are in favour of BNP.”

He said, Khaleda Zia is in jail today and Tarique Rahman is convicted in false cases due to the Awami League government.

Therefore, to release Khaleda Zia from jail, and to bring Tarique Rahman to the country and establish democracy, a united movement will start from Bogra, Fakhrul added.

Calling the leaders and workers to be united during the crisis, he said: “The spirit of the 1971 Liberation War was destroyed through this farce of an election.

“We said a fair election is impossible under Awami League and it has been proven through the polls. Our decision to boycott the 2014 polls was correct,” said Fakhrul.

“The BNP was not defeated in this election. It is the Awami League which was defeated because people could not vote. Even their supporters could not vote for Awami League. This is why the public cries out ‘sheaf of paddy’ over ‘boat’ today.”

Asked whether the BNP will participate in upcoming upazila elections, he said, “We have not decided on that yet.”

BNP leaders scuffle in lift

In the presence of Fakhrul, Bogra BNP’s president and general secretary, Saiful Islam and Joynal Abedin Chan, got involved in a scuffle.

Eyewitnesses said that Saiful and Chan were involved in the heated argument in front of the BNP secretary general, in the elevator. At one point, the quarrel escalated to a fist-fight.

Fakhrul had to stop the BNP leaders, they claimed. This triggered tension between the supporters of both the leaders.

But no one agreed to talk about the misunderstanding that arose among them.

When contacted, district BNP President Saiful Islam and General Secretary Joynal Abedin Chan did not make a comment.

However, Saiful’s supporters confirmed the incident to Dhaka Tribune.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir broke the journey on Wednesday afternoon at the five-star hotel Momo Inn in Gokul area of Bogra while he was travelling from Thakurgaon to Dhaka.

Source: Dhaka Tribune.