BNP stages protests against election fraud, arrests

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Saturday demanded a fresh general election under a neutral government and impartial Election Commission as it claimed that no free and fair election was possible under the present Awami League government.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, addressing a rally in  front of the National Press Club in the capital, also urged the government to step down immediately.

Referring to massive mass movements at evicted autocratic governments, he warned that if the government would fail to do so, people would force them to resign.

BNP organised the demonstration as a part of its two-day demonstrations protesting against alleged voter fraud and rigging in Thursday’s by-elections to Dhaka18 and Sirajganj1 constituencies, cancellation of announced results of the by-elections and implicating BNP leaders and activists in false cases over setting fire to buses in Dhaka.

He also demanded immediate release of party activists.

Addressing the human chain in front of the National Press Club, Fakhrul said, ‘We believe that no election will be held in free and fair manner if the government of Sheikh Hasina remains in power.’

The fascist Awami League government was ruling the country without mandate of the people, which was known to all over the world, Fakhrul said.

We are still fighting for the restoration of democratic rule in the country, for which we joined the war of independence in 1971.

Fakhrul condemned such anarchy the incidents of setting fire to nine buses in the Dhaka city on the day of byelections.

He also said that BNP was not involved in the offences and it never believed in anarchy.

As BNP believed in democracy the party was taking part in every election until now, Fakhrul said.

‘We believe that the government will be changed democratically, through elections,’ Fakhrul said.

BNP is a liberal democratic political party, Fakhrul added.

He complained that the ruling Awami League had destroyed the Election Commission and the commission had become a tool to serve the purposes of the government.

Presided over by Dhaka South City BNP president Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel, central leaders of the party Aman Ullah Aman, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anne, Abul Basher, Habibur Rahman Habib, Mostafizur Rahman Babul and Syed Emran Saleh Prince addressed the rally.

BNP will hold demonstrations in district headquarters today in protest at electoral fraud and autocratic rule.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net