Leaders of pro-BNP Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad (SPP) on Sunday demanded immediate cancellation of the general election and to summon Parliament into session to pass caretaker government provision for holding a fresh inclusive election within 90 days.
Making the demand at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club, SPP Convenor and President of Bangladesh Federation of Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Ruhul Amin Gazi said the nation has rejected the “farcical election” as only 4-5 percent voters exercised their franchise.
Referring to reports on polling telecast live by different TV channels, he said on average only two percent voters turned out at the polling centres till 12 noon while another 2-3 percent votes cast by 4 pm.
“Even, many polling centres in Dhaka City, including Uttara Rajuk School and Kabi Nazrul Islam College, were found empty of voters until 12 noon,” Gazi said, adding that the live telecast by TV channels has clearly showed the rejection of polls by the people of all strata.
Mentioning the reports of killing of 18 people in election-related violence on the polling day (Jan 5), he said a total of 141 people were killed across the country following the announcement of the election schedule. Voting was suspended at 326 polling centres for violence amid the unprecedented absence of voters.
The SPP convenor said many VIP voters like President, Prime Minister, Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad and Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed also could not get the opportunity to cast their votes in this “farcical” election.
Claiming that even the supporters of ruling Awami League also rejected the election by not being present at the polling centres, he said: “We congratulate them for boycotting the polls responding to the call of opposition leader Khaleda Zia.”
Gazi said that after such a situation, now the only way to resolve the present political crisis is to cancel the election and pass the caretaker government bill to hold a fresh participatory election.
Blaming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s non-compromising mentality for such a situation, the SPP leaders said Bangladesh gets the “worst example of a shameful election in the world because of her greedy mentality to cling to power.”
Blasting the role of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners, they said this commission has miserably failed to hold an acceptable election.
“We urge the election commission not to announce the polls result and immediately cancel it,” said Ruhul Amin Gazi.
Advocate Sanaullah Mia, leader of Nationalist Lawyers Forum, said this election will never be acceptable, locally or internationally.
BFUJ secretary general Shawkat Mahmud demanded immediate intervention of President Abdul Hamid to cancel the election and hold a fresh inclusive election.
General Secretary of Jatiya Press Club Syed Abdal Ahmed, its joint secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury, Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) leader Rafiqul Islam and DUJ general secretary Jahangir Alam Prodhan were present at the press conference.
Source: UNBConnect
