Dhaka, Nov 21 (UNB) – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the government cannot resist the mass wave already created in favour of the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ with its ‘repressive’ acts.

“The arrest and harassment of our leaders and activists is going on despite the announcement of the election schedule. But people are giving tremendous response to us braving the arrest and harassment, manifesting a mass wave of people in favour of the ‘Sheaf of Paddy. No one will able to resist it,” he said.

The BNP leader came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after the interview of their party’s aspirants from Mymensingh and Faridpur divisions at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.

Asked about their seat-sharing with their alliance partners, he said they will do that very soon and come up with an announcement in this regard at the right time. “We’ll sit with our alliances and finalise our nomination. As we’re there in the race, we’ll hold the election properly.”

Reacting to Election Commission’s comment that BNP has been lodging complaints randomly, Fakhrul said their party’s complaints are very specific ones. “BNP is not making allegations arbitrarily. Our complaints are clear and specific.”

He said they have long been saying the Election Commission (EC) must work independently. “If they (EC) fails to properly discharge their constitutional duty, they must be responsible to people.”

The BNP leader said they still hope that the Commission will rightly play their role in ensuring a credible election as per the desire of people.

He said their party’s nomination board took interview of 233 nomination seekers from Mymensingh and Faridpur divisions from 10am to 3pm on Wednesday.

The nomination board is now taking the interview of nomination hopefuls of Dhaka divisions.

Like the three previous days, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman joined the nomination board through a telecommunication app from the UK.

Fakhrul said all of those are giving interviews are very tested and dedicated party leaders, and they will put their all efforts to ensure the party’s victory in the election. “We believe the way we’re getting response from people, we’ll surely be able to remove the current autocratic regime,” he added.

The four-day interview of the party’s nomination seekers is set to end with the interview of Dhaka division aspirants.
 

Dhaka, Nov 21 (UNB) - BNP has demanded that the Election Commission withdraw some 55 cases filed against its leaders and activists after the announcement of the election scheduled for the ‘sake of a fair and acceptable election’.

In a letter sent to Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Wednesday, it also demanded immediate release of 529 people, including five BNP nomination seekers, who were arrested in connection with the 55 cases.

BNP submitted the letter, signed by its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, on behalf of the 20-party alliance and Jatiya Oikyafront.

BNP central office officer Md Salahuddin Khan handed over the letter to EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.

It was also mentioned in the letter that whereabouts of one of the five nomination seekers still remained unknown.

According to the letter, the five who were arrested by police are BNP hopeful from Bagerhat-4 constituency Ibrahim Hossain, BNP's village affairs secretary and Gaibandha-2 nomination seeker Anisuzzaman Khan Babu, former vice-president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and aspirant from Netrakona-2 Anwarul Haque Royal, joint general secretary of Dhaka South city BNP and aspirant from Dhaka-10 parliamentary seat Sheikh Robiul Alam Robi and Jashore district BNP vice-president and nomination seeker from Jashore-6 Abu Bakar Abu.

Even after the submission of the list of the arrested BNP leaders and activists to the EC twice, the law enforcement agencies are still desperate, the letter said. “Even, they (police) are producing BNP leaders and activists before the court keeping them under their custody for several days after their arrest,” the letter reads.
 

Dhaka, Nov 21 (UNB) –BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman joined the nomination board using a telecommunication app as the party started interviewing its nomination hopefuls for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday.

The interview of the BNP nomination aspirants will conclude with today’s interview.

The party nomination board, comprising BNP standing committee members, started the interview with those who bought party nomination forms for Mymensingh and Faridpur districts at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office at 10 am.

The interview of the nomination seekers of Dhaka division will begin after 2:30pm.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Kahosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Mahbubur Rahman and Mirza Abbas are present there in the nomination board.

Though the authorities concerned blocked telecommunication application Skype on Monday the nomination seekers who faced interview said Tarique joined the nomination board on Tuesday as previous days using another telecommunication application.

Earlier on Monday, BNP alleged that Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) blocked telecommunication application Skype across the country after Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin’s remarks that the Commission has “nothing to do” with BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman’s involvement in the nomination processes of the party.

Dhaka, Nov 20 (UNB) – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday announced that their party leaders and activists will put up their last-ditch resistance on December 30 to overcome the hurdles they have been facing over the last 10 years.

“We’re going through a very tough time, but we must overcome it.  We’re facing obstacles everywhere and being subjected to repression and persecution. We’ve been trying to get rid of it over the last 10 years. Now, we’ll put up our last-ditch resistance on December 30,” he said.

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, “We’ll struggle on that day, even with our last drop of blood. A flag of independent people will be hoisted after December 30.”

BNP arranged the programme at Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium, marking party acting chairman Tarique Rahman’s 54th birthday.

Fakhrul urged BNP leaders and activists to get ready to put up a strong resistance together with people to force the government hold a fair election. “There’s no alternative to creating a resistance like a wall as it’s a struggle of our existence and life and death.”

Stating that their party has taken part in the election as part of their movement, he urged their party leaders and activists to come out of hideouts and visits every house braving the fear of arrest to mobilise people to stand against the government’s misrule.

The BNP leader also asked their party men to create a revolution on December 30 to remove the current regime through winning the battle of ballot.

He called upon BNP leaders and activists to take all-out preparations to take part in a battle of vote on the election day. “We’ll go to the polling stations together with people. No force can obstruct us if we go to the voting centres along with people.”

The BNP leader criticised the government for what he said blocking Skype and mobile internet at their Chairperson’s Gulshan office, saying it has only exposed the regimes’ bankruptcy.

Fakhrul also greeted Tarique on his birthday and wished him a long-life.

Dhaka, Nov 20 (UNB) – BNP on Tuesday voiced doubt whether the Election Commission (EC) wants to hold a credible and neutral election since police continued arresting their leaders and activists and filing cases against them.

“We’re in doubt whether the Election Commission is willing to hold a free, fair and neutral election. Police have been arresting opposition leaders and activists and harassing them even after the announcement of the election schedule,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.  

Talking to reporters at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also said their party’s arrested leaders and activists are not been released on bail and the hearing on their bail petitions is being delayed as the EC is playing a silent role in this regard.    

The BNP leader warned that the election will not be acceptable to people if the EC fails to ensure a level-playing field and stop the arrest of opposition leaders and activists.

Stating that police’s role came under serious question during city corporation elections, Fakhrul said they have got information that the government is working out a ‘blueprint’ to hold a stage-managed election using police.

The BNP leader said a police officer is also making plans sitting at the Police Headquarters to bring the election results in ruling party’s favour by manipulating and rigging votes. 

He also came down hard on the Election Commission for not taking any step to recover both illegal and legal arms after the announcement of the election schedule. “It seems the Commission itself has taken a position that it won’t hold a fair election.”

The BNP leader said the EC is not playing any role in creating a level-playing field. “We hope good senses will prevail upon the Election Commission to properly discharge their constitutional duty by using their authority.”

Asked when they will finalise the candidates of BNP and their alliance partners, he said they will do it very soon.

Fakhrul said they took interviews of 279 nomination seekers from different districts under Chattogram division from 10am to 2:30pm. 

They later started interviewing the aspirants of Sylhet and Cumilla divisions around 3:30pm.  

Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman joined the party nomination board on Tuesday as well availing of the internet service.

Talking to reporters after facing the interview, BNP ex-assistant office secretary Abdul Latif Jony, who wants to get party ticket to contest the election from Feni-3 seat, on Tuesday morning said Tarique is taking interview through videoconferencing using another app as the Skype was blocked.