Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna on Sunday warned that another lopsided national election will this time send Awami League into exile.
"I know what their (AL’s) purpose is. They’ll put (ballot) boxes in different places somehow on 7th January and then will announce the results in the evening. It is not an election that we need to resist,” he said.
Speaking at a rally of Ganatantra Mancha in front of the Jatiya Press Club, Manna said the government will not be able to do anything good instead of holding a farcical election, no matter how hard it tries.
"We are saying the country’s people and the world community have rejected this election. I say good days are coming. Wait to see what may happen. This is not an election for the government or for the Awami League...it will send them into exile... wait to see it,” he said.
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Amid various speculations due to his inaction and absence on the streets since the announcement of the schedule for the national election, Manna, a former Awami League leader, today (Sunday) joined a rally of Ganatantra Mancha in support of the 48-hour countrywide blockade.
Manna he said could not attend recent street programmes of their alliance as he was sick. “I am still sick. I came here as a question has been raised about my whereabouts…Mahmudur Rahman Manna is not a broker.”
Manna said people have been extending their support to the opposition’s hartals and blockades, no matter what the government says.
He said they will continue their movement against the government and the unilateral election.
Manna slammed the government for its ‘evil’ efforts to split different parties and hire people for the election.
Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Revolutionary Workers Party, said they are enforcing the nationwide blockade tackling state-sponsored terrorism and a reign of terror. “We give breaks now and then to give people relief. But we’re getting ready for the ultimate movement.”
He said people are waking up again to protect their right to vote and the democracy.
Earlier, over a hundred leaders and workers of Ganatantra Mancha staged a demonstration in Bijoynagar and Topkhana Road areas in the city.
The leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies also brought out sudden processions in different areas during the first day of the 48-hour blockade.
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Apart from Ganatantra Mancha, LDP, Gono Odhikar Parishad, the 12-party alliance, and Left Democratic Alliance, Jatiyatabadi Somomona Jote, Labour Party, and Gonoforum and People’s Party staged demonstrations and rallies in Bijoynagar, Nayapaltan Old Paltan, Panthapath and Jatiya Press Club areas.