This photo taken on December 22, 2023 shows Left Democratic Alliance, a combine of six political parties, bringing out a procession in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka protesting against restrictions on public rallies ahed of next general election. — New Age photo.
Left political parties of the country on Friday at separate protest rallies in Dhaka called the people to boycott Bangladesh’s next general election scheduled for January 7.
Left Democratic Alliance, a combine of six political parties, Anti-fascism Left Alliance, a combine of seven political parties, organised separate protest rallies in front of the National Press Club and Jatiya Mukti Council organised rally at Purana Paltan crossing from where they made the call.
In LDA rally, Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince said that Awami League government was going to hold a unilateral general election on January 7, where voting rights of the people would not be established.
He called the people on to boycott the election and urged the voters not to go in the voting centres on January 7.
Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz termed the election as farcical and said that the government was leading repressions to stop the movements of the opposition parties.
Revolutionary Communist League general secretary and coordinator of the alliance Iqbal Kabir Jahid said that the home ministry’s ban on holding rallies and processions against the government during election time was undemocratic.
Democratic Revolutionary Party general secretary Mushrefa Mishu called on the government to refrain from holding the unilateral general election.
The rally was followed by a protest procession.
Anti-fascism Left Alliance coordinator and president of Nayaganatantrik Gonomorcha Jafar Hossain also called on the people to reject the one-sided election.
Leaders of the combine Belal Chowdhury, Nasiruddin Ahmed Nasu, Mahinuddin Chowdhury Liton, Masud Khan and others spoke at the rally.
The rally was followed by a protest procession that paraded different city roads.
Jatiya Mukti Council secretary Faiezul Hakim at its protest rally said that the one-sided election would bring serious consequences for the country after the poll.
He called on the Election Commission and government to refrain from holding such a unilateral election.
New Age
