Interview
‘We were defeated as the government wanted it’
What is your assessment of the 12th parliamentary elections? Was there any incident of vote rigging?
Yes, there were incidents of vote rigging. The voter turnout was quite low in the 90 per cent of the polling centres except the ones near the house of my rival candidates and me. Most of our supporters cast ballots within 10:00 am of the polling day. The voter turnout was quite low from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
However, the scenario doesn’t match the poll results. So I think votes were rigged. Besides, Bamandanga union Jatiya Party general secretary was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment for a trivial reason. We investigated the matter and found no apparent reason for such a harsh punishment. This has influenced the election directly. We have been beaten through the administration this way.
This seat was once occupied by the Jatiya Party. You have been the MP from this constituency for a long time. Despite that you lost the election. What are the reasons behind the defeat?
We didn’t have any strategic mistakes. We took part in the polls and asked people to vote for us. But we were defeated as the government wanted it. We have fallen victim to the conspiracy of the ruling party. The administration along with the government defeated us deliberately.
We have heard that several Jatiya Party leaders and activists worked for the independent candidate. What do you think?
I don't know whether any of our leaders or activists worked for the independent candidate or not. However, the voter turnout was quite low. So it was increased through vote rigging. But that was done in favour of my rival candidate. That is why my rival candidate won the election.
The Awami League compromised the seat for the Jatiya Party. Did any Awami League leaders or activists work for you or help you?
None of the AL leaders and activists helped me out. Although some of the local AL activists helped me prior to the voting day, there was nobody to help on the day of the voting. The central Awami League didn’t offer any help either. We didn’t get help from anybody at the last moment. We had to work alone. We didn’t get any benefit of being a part of the alliance. Rather, we failed to attract the anti-alliance voters for this alliance.
There is an allegation that you stay in Dhaka most of the time leading to a distance between you and the local party activists. They worked against you. What do you say?
The allegation is baseless. I have visited my constituency at least twice every month. I used to stay there for three to four days every time. I met everybody. I think I was far more connected to the people in my area than any other MPs.
You have a reputation to speak well in the parliamentary sessions and talk shows. However, there are allegations that there was no visible development in your area during your tenure...
This is not correct that there hasn’t been any visible development. I had implemented big projects worth Tk 20 billion in addition to the road project worth Tk 3 billion in the last five years. I have brought allocations for around 400 mosques and 100 temples. I have built libraries and stations. I did as much as I could.
How do you assess Jatiya Party’s performance across the country?
It’s shambolic. I have a feeling that the government wants to destroy the BNP completely. They have already destroyed the Jatiya Party. I think this is a bad omen for the country. To insult a liberal moderate party like the Jatiya Party, which doesn’t misbehave with anyone and doesn’t speak ill of anyone, after bringing them in the polls is a bad omen.
The Jatiya Party has got only one seat from Rangpur, Gaibandha and Nilphamari, the districts known to be the hub of Jatiya Party.
The Jatiya Party is being destroyed at its own yard. However, it won’t be destroyed that easily.