BNP won’t join any election under this govt: Fakhrul

Bangladesh desk: Mentioning that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wants a free, fair and impartial election, the party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that his party will not take part in any future election under this government.

He made the remarks at a conference of Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila BNP held at Kalibari Municipal Auditorium in Thakurgaon district on Sunday.

The BNP secretary general said that the government should hand over power to a neutral government, and form a new Election Commission. Only then crisis in the country would be resolved, he added.

Fakhrul urged all grassroots level leaders to get united in realizing the demands.

He alleged that the government has established a reign of terror in the country by using all state apparatus.

Mirza Fakhrul said, “The government has enacted Digital Security Act. Freedom of journalists has been restricted using this act. They can’t write freely now. You are using Facebook, writing posts and comments, using like reaction, you cannot do this.”

Now if someone talks about the country, patriotism, freedom and rights, then it would be considered as treason, he said.

In this regard, he said, “Criticism of the government is not a treason. When a government does bad things, it is the rule of democracy to criticize it. This government does not tolerate any criticism.”

Fakhrul said, “When journalist leaders and United Nations are urging to amend and repeal the Digital Security Act,  the Law Minister said loudly that the Digital Security Act would not be repealed because he knows that if the law is repealed then they would not be able to stand in front of the people.”

About the next general election, the BNP secretary general said Awami League is saying that election would be held under Sheikh Hasina-led government when the time of election is approaching.

“Will this election be fair and reflect the will of the people,” he questioned.

He said, “They (Awami League) will create such a situation by using the state apparatus that the opposition parties will not be able to contest the election. Most of the political parties have agreed that they will not take part in the election under this partisan government.”

Fakhrul said they want the election to be held under a caretaker government which will reflect the hopes and aspirations of people. But if the government remains in power during the election, a free and fair election will never be possible, he observed.

He alleged that the government has pushed the people towards darkness by framing false cases. It pushed the country towards an unbearable and suffocating situation.

Thakurgaon district BNP president Taimur Rahman, vice president Foygam Ali, general secretary Mirza Faisal Amin and joint general secretary Obaidullah Masud were present at the programme.