EC’s letter for dialogue is latest strategy of vote rigging: Fakhrul

Terming the Election Commission’s letter inviting the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to a dialogue as the “latest strategy of vote rigging,” the party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir asked, “Did anyone able to cast his ballot in the past? The Election Commission is going to the same thing again. This time, the pressure is high.”

“Our neighbours are saying voting like the past would not anymore. The Japanese ambassador said he had never heard in his life how the voting could took place in the previous night? Now, they have adopted a new strategy. Of the strategies, the newest one is sending a letter to BNP through the EC,” he said.

The BNP secretary general made the remarks while speaking at a discussion at Mahanagar Natyamancha in Gulistan on Saturday (March 25, 2023). The BNP organised the discussion marking the Independence and National Day.

Mirza Fakhrul said the next parliamentary election would be held under a new election commission and voters would cast their ballots under that EC. “It’s our final words.”

Commenting that the present EC doesn’t have the capability of holding a free and fair election in the country. “Does the EC has any authority? Would it be able to correct this administration? Why are you getting tired and exhausted by sending letters,” he asked.

However, regarding the EC letter inviting to join a dialogue, Mirza Fakhrul said, “I don’t want to say anything else about it right now. A meeting of our standing committee is scheduled on Monday. We will take decision at that meeting.”

Addressing the government, the BNP leader said, “We have only one thing to tell. It means you accept our demand of caretaker government and resign from power. Abolish the parliament and handover power to a caretaker government.”

The BNP leader also urged the party leaders and workers to take all-out preparations for making any sacrifice for saving the nation.

The discussion was also attended by the party standing committee members Khondker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman, vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman, Shahjahan Omar, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, AZM Zahid Hossain, Ahmed Azam Khan, Chairperson’s advisory council members Amanullah Aman, Abdus Salam, Zainul Abedin Faruque, joint general secretary Khairul Kabir Khokon and Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal’s general secretary Sadeque Ahmed Khan, among others.