BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said people said ‘no’ to the government with their verdict through Saturday’s elections to four city corporations.
“’It has been proved through the polls that people have no confidence in the government. They’ve said no to the government through their verdict which reflected on the elections’ results,’’ he said.
“Had it been a true democratic government it would have resigned after the results of the election as this is a total no confidence to the government,’’ the BNP leader added.
Fakhrul made the remarks while giving his party’s formal reaction to the results of the four city corporations’ elections at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in the capital.
Mentioning that the election has created a new chapter in context of the country’s politics, the BNP spokesman said people have ventilated their pent-up anger against the government’s corruption, repression and failures to run the state defying all obstacles, hurdles and threats.
Fakhrul said people through Saturday’s city corporation elections have given a message to the government that there is no alternative to restoration of the non-party caretaker government for holding the next general election in a free, fair and credible manner. “We hope the government will be able to understand the message.’’
He said they expect that the government will now try to give democracy an institutional shape and will show respect to the opposition leaders and stop their repression and oppression on them relaising the message of the people.
The BNP acting secretary general also hoped that the government will take steps to restore the caretaker government in the constitution accepting the 18-party’s demand.
Asked whether the election was fair, the BNP leader indirectly approved the elections as fair but claimed it had been possible due to their strong role.
Replying to another question whether the BNP leader’s allegations of irregularities against the government during the balloting were false, Fakhrul said, “Now it’s not important who said what. What important now is all the BNP-backed runners won the polls.”
As his attention was drawn to ruling party leaders that BNP should not have any plea to participate in the next polls under the current regime as it can prove it can hold fair polls, Fakhrul said their rhetoric do not match with people’s perception. “We’ve presented our demand for restoration of the caretaker system before people and they have given their verdict in favour of it in the elections. So, the government should now accept the people’s demand.”
Replying to another question, he said it does not depend on the government under which model the next general election will be held as it is the political parties that will decide it.
Though he apparently approved the city polls as fair, Fkahrul said they still cannot repose their confidence in the Election Commission due to its appointment process and activities.
The BNP spokesman on behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia thanked the residents of the four city corporations for electing the 18-backed candidates in the elections.
He also expressed gratitude to journalists for what he said their active role in ensuring a fair election.
Fakhrul said not only their party-backed mayoral candidates came out successful with a big margin, but also most of the BNP-backed councilor runners also won the polls.
According to him, 23 opposition-supported councilor contenders came out victorious in Rajshahi city corporation polls, while 19 in Sylhet, 29 in Khulna and 24 in Barisal
Source: UNBConnect