‘BNP joining city polls to expose vote fraud further’

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said their party is taking part in the upcoming city polls to expose further that no credible election is possible under Awami League, reports UNB.

"Many people ask one question as to why we're joining the polls. First, I would like to say when we had boycotted the 2014 election it was said that we made a mistake. We took part in the 2018 election to prove we didn't make mistake in 2014 as no fair election can be held under Awami League," he said.

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said. "Now, we're asked again why we're going to join the city corporation elections. I would like to say we're taking part in the polls to expose again that no fair and credible election can be held under Awami League."
Fakhrul came up with the remarks apparently reacting to Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader's question about the reason behind BNP's participation in the city elections since the party has no confidence in the election commission (EC).
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal arranged the discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking its 41st founding anniversary.
Fakhrul said chief election commissioner Nurul Huda himself admitted that their commission could not ensure free and fair election while another commissioner Mahbub Talukder clearly said this EC is not capable of holding a credible election.
He said the current government and the election commission must be removed to pave the way for holding a credible election under a neutral administration.
The BNP leader claimed that the country's' people do not want to see Awami League in power anymore.
"They (AL) have usurped power with pistols and guns, and flexing muscles. It's not a government of people since people didn't vote for them. I can challenge that if 100 people are interviewed on the streets, 90 of them will say they don't want this regime to stay in power," Fakhrul said.
He also urged the ruling party to face BNP politically without using state machinery and law enforcers.
Meanwhile, two groups of JCD activists locked into a scuffle over taking seats in the IEB auditorium while the discussion programme was going on.
Later, the senior leaders intervened, and brought the situation under control.
BNP founder Ziaur Rahman established JCD on 1 January, 1979.