BNP, JOF thank Menon for telling truth about Dec 30 polls

Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jatiya Oikya Front on Sunday thanked Workers Party of Bangladesh president Rashed Khan Menon for speaking the truth that the voters could not cast their votes during the December 30, 2018 national elections.

Senior leaders of the nationalist party and oikya front in separate programmes in the capital thanked the Workers Party chief and said that, though late, the ruling alliance partner had acknowledged the truth.

Their comments came against the backdrop of media reports that Menon on Saturday in a party programme in Barishal had said, ‘I was elected in the elections. I am testifying to the fact that the people could not cast their votes in the elections. They could not cast their votes in the elections of the Union Parishads and Upazila Parishads.’

A smiling Gono Forum president and front leader Dr Kamal Hossain, while responding to reporters’ queries, said though it came late but it made him happy. Dr Kamal faced the press following oikya front steering committee meeting at his chamber in the capital’s Matijheel.

‘I repeated the same question: Could you cast your votes in the December 30 elections? None had responded in the positive. Now Menon too confirmed this. I thank him for this,’ Dr Kamal said.

Regarding October 22 front rally planned to protest against BUET student Abrar Fahad murder, for which the opposition alliance had so far did not get permission from authorities concerned, he urged the government to abide by the constitution and allow them to hold the rally.

Addressing a press conference at Bangladesh Nationalist Party central office at Naya Paltan in the capital, BNP senior joint-secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, ‘Truth cannot be supressed. Menon at last confessed to the truth before the people. Menon had begun to speak the truth responding to call of his conscience.’

‘Human beings, though commit misdeeds, in the end are compelled to reveal the truth in response to the call of conscience,’ he said and also added, ‘We do not know the purpose of such comment by comrade Rashed Khan Menon, an otherwise loyal man of the corrupt government. But he, as a principal witness before the nation has lessened his sin to an extent by admitting the truth about the vote dacoity in the dead of the night.’

He said that the government should resolve the parliament after such a comment and that the government had no ethical ground to continue the parliament.

‘The men in their fold are now acknowledging that they were illegal government. They are also testifying to the fact that the people cannot speak out of fear of their lives,’ he said.

The December 30, 2018 national elections were marred by widespread intimidation of voters, opposition polling agents’ ouster, centre grabbing, massive ballot stuffing and violence, according to media reports.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net