Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson’s adviser Zainul Abdin Farroque distributes leaflets in front of the National Press Club in the capital on Tuesday, thanking people for ‘rejecting’ the 12th parliamentary elections. — New Age photo
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday said that the people have shown a red card to Awami League by boycotting the vote held on January 7.
‘January 7 was a black day for the people of the country. Ninety-five per cent of voters gave a red card to Awami League on that day,’ BNP senior secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said at a virtual press conference.
He called for cancelling the election and announcing the date of the national election under a party-neutral administration.
‘If not, the dummy government will be brought down by peaceful agitation,’ he said.
He also said that the world has seen the mass boycott and historic vote robbery on January 7.
Despite hundreds of incidents of intimidation, torture, temptation and pressure from the government, the people of the country rejected this election in disgust, he said.
Rizvi said that although 27.15 per cent voter turnout was announced till 3:00pm on the polling day, just an hour later it was increased to 40 per cent under the pressure of Ganobhaban and on Monday afternoon it was further increased to 41.99 per cent.
The democratic people did not fall into the trap of this bogus election, he said, adding that polling centres across the country were empty of voters.
He said that the democratic world, including the United Nations, United States and United Kingdom gave statements, rejecting this one-sided election without voters.
Rizvi urged the people to join the movement to overthrow the government regardless of party affiliation.
‘The ongoing movement won’t stop until Sheikh Hasina resigns,’ he added.
New Age
