Conflicting statement of AL, BNP on turnout: We hail voters for poll boycott: BNP

Staff Reporter :
The main opposition party-BNP and its allies claimed that their call for boycotting the ‘lopsided’ national election was successful.

BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Sunday said that the voters made their call for boycotting the ‘one-sided’ election a success.

Dr. Moyeen Khan congratulated the voters for not going to the polling stations.

“The people of the country rejected the Awami League government through this voter-less election.

On behalf of not only BNP but also all the 62 political parties who boycotted this farcical election, I salute the people of Bangladesh for the sole reason that they have never compromised on the question of democracy,” Dr. Moyeen Khan said.

“The pictures taken by the media, thousands of photos have already been there on social media.

You can see pictures of dogs standing, lying down and basking in the sun in front of the polling stations in the absence of voters,” the BNP leader said.

“Most of the polling stations were almost empty of voters. So, our call for boycotting the election has succeeded definitely,” he said.

He said the last part of the election drama arranged by the government was being staged from Sunday morning.

“The interesting thing is what we have been saying for the one year that the people of Bangladesh have turned down this government has proved it today before everyone in the country as people boycotted the one-sided election.”

“The government has taken democracy to such a level in the last 10 years that hundreds of voting centres were empty during the election. This is the reality of the farce in the name of Bangladesh’s 12th national polls,” the BNP leader said.

Replying to a question, Dr. Moyeen Khan said they got overwhelming support from people as they have been carrying out their movement against the Awami League government peacefully and democratically.

“We’ll continue our movement together with the people in a peaceful process.”

“The consequences of this election won’t be good. We do not believe in any fake and bogus election system in the name of democracy.

Many people brand this government as an autocratic regime. People also call this regime by different names. I say this government is pretending to be a democracy.

“Governments that pretend to be democratic are far more dangerous than authoritarian ones,” the BNP leader said.

He said even many supporters of the ruling party did not go to the polling stations as they knew the victory of their candidates was certain.

“Awami League voters know that our candidates have passed and won. Why should we waste time by going to the polling stations unnecessarily? Awami League voters did not get any purpose of going to polling stations,” he said.

Meanwhile, BNP Senior Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in a virtual press briefing said, the people of the country has boycotted the one-sided polls responding the BNP’s call.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami also claimed that the people of the country has responded to their call and boycotted the ‘lopsided’ polls.

Jamaat Acting Amir Professor Mujibur Rahman made the remark through a statement on Sunday.