BNP on Wednesday turned down the schedule for the next national election announced by the Election Commission (EC), saying no election will be held in Bangladesh as per this schedule.
“We reject with utter hatred the schedule announced by the biased and spineless Election Commission at the behest of Sheikh Hasina to hold another farcical election like in the past to snatch people's right to vote and destroy democracy,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a virtual press briefing, he also said the Chief Election Commissioner has mocked the entire nation by announcing the schedule for holding the next election under the current government.
The BNP leader said the EC which is subservient to the government has announced the election schedule for holding lopsided polls ignoring the expectations and opinions of the entire Bangladesh and the repeated call of the international community.
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He said believing that the election will be held in a fair and credible manner under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is like falling into quicksands.
“It makes us laugh that the Chief Election Commissioner said they will try to hold a free, fair and participatory election when Sheikh Hasina is the Prime Minister. He mocked the entire nation with such a comment,” the BNP leader said.
He said people would throw Sheikh Hasina’s election schedule into the Bay of Bengal by ousting her from power through the street movement.
Stop ‘game’ in the name of polls schedule announcement: BNP
Rizvi said people do not accept the so-called election schedule for holding a Hasina-styled election after creating a frightening war-like situation in the country.
“There will be no election on the soil of Bangladesh as per this election schedule. On behalf of the largest political party in Bangladesh, BNP, we would like to warn the government and the Election Commission once again that they must bear full responsibility for the terrible deadlock and extreme political instability that will be created in the country due their imprudent move,” he said.
The BNP leader said they would intensify further the ongoing movement to ensure the fall of the Awami League regime.
He also warned that people will put all those involved in the completely illegal process of the lopsided election under trial when the people's government will be established.
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Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal announced that the 12th parliamentary election of the country will be held on January 7.
The CEC came up with the announcement for the next election schedule while addressing the nation at 7 pm.
According to the constitution, the tenure of the current government will end on January 29, 2024.