BNP, allies demand PM’s resignation, fresh election
Staff Reporter :
The main opposition party-BNP and its allies on Monday demanded fresh national election cancelling the results of January 7 ‘lopsided’ polls and resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina immediately.
“The country’s people unilaterally and spontaneously rejected Sunday’s election.
On behalf of 63 parties, who called for boycotting the polls, we congratulate the people of the country for turning down the election,” BNP Standing Committee Member Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan said this at a press conference at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office in the capital.
The party also renewed its demand for a fresh election under a non-party polls-time government to establish a legitimate and accountable government.
Dr. Moyeen Khan said that his party will continue peaceful movement until the Awami League government is ousted.
To mobilise public support for their demands, the BNP also announced a two-day mass contact programme on Tuesday and Wednesday.
He also said that the government failed to bring voters to the polling stations despite various threats. “There was no voting and election on January 7, Dr. Moyeen Khan said.
BNP Standing Committee Members Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahman were present in the programme.
Nazrul Islam Khan said their party wanted to establish a government elected by people’s vote and accountable to them.
“A free, fair and inclusive election is necessary for it what didn’t happen on Sunday. So, people have turned down this election.
Everyone is saying the voter turnout which was shown (by the EC) was fake,” the BNP leader said.
“In such, BNP and other like-minded political parties which were on a movement for the restoration of democracy demanded the immediate cancellation of the dummy election of January 7, resignation of Sheikh Hasina and formation of a polls-time non-party neutral government for holding a fresh national election,” Nazrul Islam said.
The BNP leader also said people’s ownership of the state must be restored and all enforced disappearance, killing, and ghost cases must be stopped and people will have to be protected from his repressive regime.
“These are now people’s demands. We congratulate and thank people as they made sacrifices in the face of various pressures and allurement and foiled the government’s evil efforts to show a huge turnout by taking them to the voting centres.
Jamaat-e-Islami: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Acting Amir Professor Mujibur Rahman on Monday demanded fresh election schedule cancelling the January 7 polls in a press conference in the capital.
Besides, Jamaat-e-Islami announced two days mass contact and leaflet distributing programme for Tuesday and Wednesday demanding fresh election schedule.
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP): Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col. (retd) Oli Ahmed on Monday said that the departure of the Awami League government is a matter of time only.
Col. Oli said it in a press briefing in the party’s Moghbazar office on Monday.
The veteran politician congratulated the people for boycotting the January 7 national election saying the countrymen has ability to understand the wellbeing of the nation.
