The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Friday criticised the recent remarks of Russian ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Mantytsky on the 12th parliamentary election, saying that his statement hurt the democratic sentiment of the people of the country.
Terming the Russian ambassador’s remarks as unexpected, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in a statement, urged the country to show due respect to the aspirations and democratic values of the people of Bangladesh.
‘It has come to our attention that the ambassador of Russia, Alexander Mantytsky, has termed the statement of the BNP as misleading and false about Russia’s role in the January 7 election. He also claimed that the people of Bangladesh elected the government in the election, and 41.8 per cent of the people voted, and most of them voted for the Awami League,’ he said.
‘His unwanted and pro-Awami speech hurt the democratic sentiment of the people of Bangladesh. Now all Bangladeshi citizens outside the Awami League have lost their rights and freedom and are subjugated in their own country,’ said Rizvi.
Mantytsky said on Wednesday that the BNP’s allegation regarding the role of Russia in forming the new government of AL was ‘misleading or false’.
Talking to journalists after a meeting with foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, he also said that no one should believe the statement in which the opposition party alleged that the current government was not the government of the people of Bangladesh but of India, China, and Russia.
Rizvi said in the statement that people from all classes and professions had been subjected to discrimination, injustice, and oppression by corruption, misrule, and repression perpetuated by the anti-people government in the past 15 years.
He said that the ‘dummy election’ held on January 7 was not intended to enfranchise or reflect the aspirations of the people. Rather, it was a violent fraud on the nation in the name of an election for ‘illegally, immorally, and unconstitutionally’ prolonging the tenure of Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Rizvi made allegations of various irregularities in the election, saying that less than 5 per cent of voters actually cast ballots. And 62 political parties boycotted the January 7 election.
He said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed dismay following the announcement of the ‘pre-arranged’ results of the polls.
The European Union also expressed disappointment, particularly at the non-participation of all major political parties, and called for a timely and thorough investigation of all electoral irregularities.
The United States concurs with other observers, and Canada expressed dismay that Bangladesh’s electoral process has deviated from the principles of democracy and freedom, it said, adding that Australia highlighted the importance of free and fair elections, regretting that the elections were held in an environment where parties could not participate meaningfully and inclusively.
Apart from this, seven prominent international organisations issued a joint statement calling for a fresh election under a neutral government in the country, Rizvi said.
Bangladesh and Russia have long-established cordial relations based on trade, commerce, knowledge, and other bilateral interests, he said, adding that the BNP believes that long-term diplomatic success lies in building bridges of friendship between the people of the two countries.
New Age
