Dhaka, Jan 22 (UNB) – Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said his BNP counterpart Mirza Fakhrul has been talking deliriously since his party’s shameful defeat in the December-30 national election.

“BNP’s condition resembles a bullock-cart stuck in the mud as seen in Joynul Abedin’s painting,” the minister told journalists after visiting Bangladesh Road and Transport Corporation (BRTC) office in the city’s Motijheel area.

“Taking part in the upcoming upazila elections is BNP’s political right, not a chance. So, they’ve to take a decision now,” he said.

He also mentioned that had Awami League been in BNP’s position it would not have boycotted the election.

During his maiden visit to the BRTC headquarters after taking office as transport minister for the second term, Obaidul urged the officials to eliminate corruption from the corporation and transform it into a profitable enterprise.

Thakurgaon, Jan 22 (UNB) – BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said Bangladesh’s democracy had been killed through December 30 national election.

“The BNP was not defeated in this election. It is the Awami League which was defeated, our spirit of the 1971 Liberation War was crushed,” he said at a views exchange meeting with BNP leaders and activists at Mirza Ruhul Amin auditorium here.

He urged people to raise voices to save democracy and the country. The BNP leader said the ruling party was violating the constitution and destroying the democratic future of Bangladesh.

He claimed 2.6 million people were accused in 98,000 cases across the country. 

“We said a fair election is impossible under Awami League and it has been proven through the polls. Our decision to boycott the 2014 polls was correct. The Election Commission is a paper tiger,” he said.

Fakhrul called on the government to scrap results of the December 30 election and arrange fresh polls.

Chattogram, Jan 22 (UNB) – Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested a Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal leader from GEC intersection in the city on Monday night over posting ‘provocative remarks against the state and law enforcement agencies’ on her facebook.

The arrestee is Dewan Mahmuda Akhter Lita, 30, publicity secretary Chattogram City unit Jatiyabadi Mahila Dal.

Assistant superintendent of Police MdMashkur Rahman of Rab-7, said that a team of Rab arrested Lita from the area around 10:45 pm.

She was also accused in several cases, he said.

However, local BNP leaders claimed that Lita was arrested from a bus in Lalpur area of Feni while she was going to Dhaka.

Lalmonirhat, Jan 21 (UNB) – Claiming that Awami League has turned into a ‘mass enemy’ for ‘looting democracy’, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said their movement will continue until a people’s government is installed through a fresh election under a nonparty caretaker government.

“People no longer trust Awami League for looting democracy, led by Sheikh Hasina. They’ve now turned into a mass enemy,” he said while addressing a protest rally.

The rally was organised protesting the killing of Tozammel Hossain, environment affairs secretary of Rajpur union unit BNP in Sadar upazila who was killed reportedly by AL men on the voting day.

Fakhrul, also the spokesperson of Jatiya Oikyafront, expressed sorrow for the ruling party saying, “The party which fought for democracy and under the leadership of which the Liberation War took place has now looted democracy under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina.”

He also said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia who had fought for democracy has been kept in jail in ‘fabricated’ cases.

The BNP leader alleged that Awami League put seals on the ballot papers the night before the election day with the help of the ‘state machinery’, including police, Rab, BGB, UNOs and DCs while Awami League ‘cadres’ resorted to vote robbery in public on the voting day.

He said the Jatiya Oikyafront together with people will overthrow the ‘demonic’ government.

Addressing the programme, Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL) President Kader Siddiqui alleged that a stigmatised history of best vote robbery in the world was created through the December-30 election. “Had we not joined the election, it could not have been proved that Hasina is the world’s best vote robber.”

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President ASM Abdur Rob claimed that if any award is given for vote robbery, it will go to Sheikh Hasina.

Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury also spoke at the rally.

Dhaka, Jan 21 (UNB) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Monday claimed that the BNP leaders are now talking incoherently as they have lost their ‘senses’ following the drubbing in the December-30 election.

“Actually, BNP leaders have lost their senses after the party’s debacle in the election. That’s why, they’re now talking incoherently. It’s evident in the remarks of its secretary general (Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir) and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi,” he said.

The minister was talking to reporters at the secretariat.

He claimed that BNP candidates did not conduct electioneering properly before the polls. “In most constituencies, they didn’t take the field sensing their defeat beforehand. Their main aim was to make the election questionable. So, they’re now talking many things about the election to make it questionable,” he said.

Pointing to Rizvi, Hasan Mahmud suggested that they go for soul-searching to know the reasons behind their election defeat instead of exposing their political ‘bankruptcy’ holding a press conference every day. “You should analyse why your candidates did not go for electioneering, take action against those involved in the nomination trade and reorganise the party.”

He also claimed that no election was held so peacefully as the recent one was held.

Responding to a query about the wage board for journalists, the minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed a seven-member committee at the first meeting of the new cabinet on Monday which will work to speedily implement the wage board.