If the first phase of Upazila Parishad elections was ‘fair’, the BNP would have won 95 percent of the chairman posts, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claims.
The BNP acting Secretary General on Thursday alleged ruling Awami League activists had occupied many polling centres and rigged votes.
File Photo
The party secured 44 chairman posts while its partner Jamaat-e-Islami bagged 12 in the 97 Upazilas that went to polls on Wednesday, while the Awami League won 33.
The Awami League’s one-time ally and the current opposition party Jatiya Party won in one Upazila.
Fakhrul, however, asked the party supporters not to be euphoric with the results.
“There is no reason to be euphoric just because we bagged more seats. We have to wage a movement to unseat this fascist government.”
There is no provision for a political party to field official candidates in Upazila elections, but all the parties violated the norms by putting up candidates.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration with the Election Commission was scrapped before the Jan 5 general election following High Court orders.
The BNP has no representation in the current Parliament as it had boycotted the national election.
It had also swept the city corporation polls held before the parliamentary polls.
Dwelling on the present situation, Fakhrul claimed that Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty were “now at stake”. He called the government ‘fascist’ and accused it of clinging to power by “destroying democracy though a voter-less election”.
“The incumbent parliament has no representation of the majority of population. We have to launch a movement to remove them.”
The BNP leader claimed the party’s decision to launch agitation protesting Jan 5 polls was right.
“Many had expressed disappointment at the movement. I would like to say there is nothing to be upset. Our agitation was successful.
“The agitation has proved that a fair election is not possible under Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League. The party has become alienated from the people after the agitation,” Mirza Fakhrul added.
He went on to ask the government to make arrangements for a fair election immediately with the participation of all parties which was what “the people wanted”.
Fakhrul also expressed concern over the ‘abduction’ of party activists.
“Many leaders and activists are being killed. Their offence was that they were involved in the agitation to protect democracy.”
“Not only the opposition activists who are put behind bars by implicating them in false cases, any dissenter is arrested. Electronic channels opposed to the government have been closed down one after another.”
The BNP spokesperson alleged many false cases were filed against all party leaders.
Source: Bd news24