BNP calls for vote rejection, non-cooperation with govt

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Wednesday called the people for rejecting the voting in the forthcoming 12th parliamentary elections slated for 7 January.

The de facto opposition party has additionally urged people to engage in "non-cooperation" with the government across all sectors. 

These appeals were conveyed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi during a virtual press conference held at approximately 12:30 pm on Wednesday. 

Acting Chairman of BNP, Tarique Rahman, delivered the party's statement in a video message today. Subsequently, on behalf of the top leadership of BNP, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the non-cooperation movement programme of the party.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi urged officers and employees assigned to facilitate voting in the 7 January elections to abstain from their duties. Providing the rationale for this call, Rizvi stated, "Do not engage in deceptive activities under the guise of elections. Do not go to the polling stations. The list of people who will be an MP in the election has already been prepared."

In addition to this, BNP has requested the people to suspend the payment of all types of taxes, fees, water, gas, and electricity bills. 

Rizvi expressed concerns about the government allegedly embezzling significant funds through the banking sector and advised people to reconsider the safety of depositing money in banks. 

Furthermore, Rizvi called upon the "hundreds of political leaders and activists" who are facing what he described as false and trumped-up cases to abstain from appearing in court starting today. 

BNP conducted a nationwide dawn-to-dusk shutdown on Tuesday, demanding the government's resignation and the cancellation of elections. Earlier, the party organised a hartal across the country on 29 October after its grand rally in Dhaka on 28 October was reportedly disrupted. 

Since then, the party has been organising programmes such as blockades and, at times, hartals lasting one or two days.

BNP is carrying out these programmes to call for the resignation of the government, elections under a non-partisan administration, the release of leaders and workers, and an end to harassment.

Other parties participating in a simultaneous movement with BNP are also pursuing similar programmes. 

Currently, BNP has announced a programme advocating for the boycott of elections and non-cooperation with the government.