BNP urges govt again to hold dialogue for inclusive polls

Staff Reporter :
The main opposition party-BNP- on Friday again called upon the government for arranging dialogue over holding an inclusive parliament election discarding the January 7 ‘lopsided’ polls.

“There is enough time we think, cancel the schedule of January 7 one-sided polls and start dialouge for holding an inclusive general election,” BNP Standing Committee Member Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan said while addressing the biennial council of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists at National Press Club in the city.

He said, “If the government holds a neutral election after resigning it will bring fame for the ruling Awami League, not the BNP.”

Meanwhile, BNP Senior Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday alleged that a neighbouring country was directly interfering in the internal affairs of Bangladesh to hold a ‘dummy’ election on January 7.

Talking to reporters while distributing leaflets in the city’s Dhanmondi area, he also called upon the country’s people to boycott the stage-managed election.

‘The prime minister on Thursday said that conspiracies were going on in the country and abroad regarding the election.

It’s you who are conspiring against the election. A neighbouring country is directly interfering to hold a dummy election in Bangladesh,’ the BNP leader said. He, however, did not mention the name of country.

Rizvi also accused the government of trying to turn Bangladesh into a vassal state by sacrificing the country’s independence and sovereignty only to retain power. ‘But people won’t let their blueprint to succeed.’

Apart from these, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a virtual press briefing later said that the ruling AL has made the countrymen panicked by bringing out armed election processions.

He said that no election is going to be held in Bangladesh on January 7. ‘It’s an election of seat sharing and distribution. It’s a farcical election.’

Stating that people are the owners of the country, the BNP leader also said that the government was trying to dodge foreigners by holding a dummy election ignoring public opinion.

‘The government won’t succeed, no matter how many conspiracies they resort to.’ Rizvi urged voters not to go to the polling centers and boycott the January 7 election.