"The cadres of the Awami League candidate in Pabna-4 by-election are threatening the workers and supporters of our candidate. They attacked a meeting of the candidate of Sheaf of Paddy yesterday (Thursday) in Naogaon-6 by-polls, leaving our many leaders and activists, injured,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he said, "The signs of terrorist activities are visible ahead of the by-polls. We would like to say the people of the respective electoral areas will resist the obstacles towards holding fair and free voting with all their strength.”
Rizvi also demanded the arrest and punishment of those involved in such ‘terrorist’ activities and effective steps to ensure credible voting in a congenial and peaceful atmosphere.
As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the voting in the by-polls to Pabna-4 will be held on Saturday while that of in Naogaon-6 on October 17.
Rizvi alleged that some pro-ruling party ‘perverted people of the cultural arena’ are making evil efforts to belittle BNP founder Ziaur Rahman by distorting history.
“A man, Mannan Hira, wrote a so-called drama Indemnity by distorting history, and he has been staging it all over the country under the banner of Joy Bangla for the last one year to get the good attention of Awami League,” he said.
The BNP leader said they came to know that a private TV channel owned by a ruling party MP is going to air the drama on Saturday night. “We would like to warn: Don’t be the mass enemy by making an effort to air the drama of information terrorism with distorted history. People will keep in their minds the writer, director, actors and other crew of this play.”
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He said people have got angry and shocked by “false propaganda” and attempts to assassinate the character of a Liberation War hero and sector commander Ziaur Rahman. “Insulting a heroic freedom fighter means defaming all the freedom fighters of the battlefield.”