BNP decides not to participate in upcoming UP polls
Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has made a significant decision to abstain from participating in the upcoming upazila elections.
The party cited failures within the Sheikh Hasina government and its affiliated Election Commission, civil, and police administrations to ensure fair, participatory, and credible polls. It also expressed grave concerns over the deteriorating conditions for holding genuinely democratic elections, contrasting the current situation with previous atmospheres.
This decision was reached during a meeting of the BNP’s standing committee members, with acting chairman Tarique Rahman participating virtually. Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi conveyed the party’s stance through a press release to the media.
The timing of the decision coincided with the deadline for nomination submissions for the first phase of the forthcoming sixth upazila parishad election.
In their statement, the BNP accused the ruling government of egregious acts, including the suppression of opposition voices, infringement upon freedom of speech, and the denial of people’s rights to vote.
They also alleged that the government had dismantled the electoral system, violated constitutional principles, and undermined basic rights.
Furthermore, the BNP criticized what they termed as the Awami League’s political strategy of seizing power through instilling fear among the populace. They labeled the upcoming election as a “farce” orchestrated by an “illegal government.”
The BNP further condemned what they perceived as the government’s tactics to ensure a one-sided election, including the imprisonment of thousands of opposition leaders and activists. They lamented the dire conditions faced by many of these individuals in detention, describing their treatment as inhumane.
The party highlighted the Awami League’s lack of commitment to democratic values, citing instances of voter intimidation, suppression of election observers, and harassment of opposition agents during previous elections.
They emphasized that under the current regime, opposition candidates have faced physical attacks, legal cases, and other forms of harassment during the nomination process for parliamentary and local elections.
