BNP to finalise nominations soon; Tarique’s return ‘imminent’: Dr Zahid
NN ONLINE:
BNP senior leader Dr AZM Zahid Hossain on Thursday said their party will very soon finalise nominations for the upcoming national election, giving priority to candidates who are popular among people and score high in internal surveys.
“BNP is a large party and the number of nomination seekers is 10 times more than that of available seats,” he said. Talking to reporters after paying tribute to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman at his grave, Zahid also said that the party will rely on input from local and district-level leaders as well as internal surveys to decide who will get the nomination and who will not.
“More importantly, those who are most popular in their respective areas and loved by the people will be nominated by BNP. InshAllah, you will see that the BNP top leadership will very soon make a final decision regarding its nominations based on these factors,” he said. Zaid, a BNP Standing Committee member, also said no one has so far received either a green or red signal regarding nomination from the party.
He said some speculative news has recently been circulated on social media and in some newspapers about certain candidates getting a green signal. “Our party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has already said that the party has not yet nominated anyone. The announcement will be made at the appropriate time.” Zahid said BNP leaders and activists across the country are going door to door at the call of Tarique Rahman, reaching out to voters and the public with the 31-point programme. “They are fully engaged in this task, and there is vibrant activity going on.
He said their party has started various activities related to the election preparation since the fall of the Awami League regime. Dr Zahid said BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to return to the country “very soon” to lead what he said is the final phase of the struggle to restore democracy.
“I have said this before, and I repeat now — Inshallah, within a few weeks, you will see Tarique Rahman return. He will not be coming back merely to oversee BNP’s electoral process, but to lead the final stage of the struggle to restore democracy,” he added. Following the political crackdown after the 1/11 changeover, Tarique Rahman has been living in exile in London with his family since 2008.
Prof Zahid, along with leaders and activists of the Diploma Pharmacist Association of Bangladesh, placed floral wreaths at the grave of Ziaur Rahman at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to pay tribute to him, marking World Pharmacists Day.
Professor Zahid urged the country’s people to remain alert about the plots and evil activities of the defeated fascist forces and their associates. He also said BNP is fully prepared to counter any local or international conspiracies against the country and to take part in the upcoming national election.
The BNP leader reaffirmed the party’s commitment to implementing its 31-point programme for state reforms to build a new democratic Bangladesh with the support of the people. “The BNP has always been vocal in defending people’s rights, and it will continue to be so.”
In response to a question about the reported harassment of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and leaders of two other political parties by the Awami League followers in New York, he said, “The history of the Awami League and its leaders has never been on the side of the people.
“They believe in the politics of vengeance and in ruling over the people by force. They treat this country as if it were their ancestral property…Their forefathers committed injustices, and they continue to do the same. But one thing must be remembered that in the end, the people know how to resist them and reject them,” the BNP leader added.