Do you like to break vote rigging record, Fakhrul asks Quader

“He (Quader) said nobody can break the BNP’s record of vote rigging. Do you like to break (BNP) record? They (Awami League) got indulged in massive vote rigging at previous night of 2018 general election day only to break the record. What type of society it is where politicians want to break the record of vote rigging,” asked Fakhrul while addressing a condolence meeting at National Press Club on Saturday.

Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf Smriti Parishad organised the meeting commemorating BNP central leader Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf who died in Dhaka on December 9, 2020, at the age 80.

On December 30, Quader at a discussion through videoconferencing said nobody can break the BNP’s record of vote rigging in the history of Bangladesh.

Fakhrul alleged that Bangladesh was being ruled under a one-party system in guise of democracy. “It is now called that Bangladesh has become a country of hybrid regimes. Democracy here also turns into a hybrid one.”

He observed that if the country moves forward in such a way, the dreams of 1971 Liberation War would never be materialised.

Fakhrul said not only Bangladesh but also the whole world has been passing through a difficult time. “In one hand, it is facing the wrath of COVID-19 pandemic on the other hand democracy is surviving for its very existence.

Authoritarianism, dictatorship, arrogance, pride and negligence to others have now become part of the world politics, he continued.

Fakhrul said, “We joined in the Liberation War to have a democratic country but this dream is breaking repeatedly. We are entering 50th years of Independence in the New Year. But it is a matter of sorrow that we cannot say that we are living in a free democratic country.”

He said, “We cannot say that democracy and freedom of speech do exist here. Is there anything unfortunate exists than this one? It is being called that there exists government, democracy and parliament but no rights of common people. People in the country fall prey of beating to death. Newspapers yesterday reported 300 people were killed in extrajudicial killings in the last year.”