BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Friday said that those raising allegations over Thursday’s parliamentary elections must provide evidence to support their claims.
Talking to journalists at the Election Commission, Nazrul Islam responded to allegations made by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami regarding alleged vote rigging and warnings of protests.
“They may feel hurt and express themselves, but if anyone makes allegations against someone, it is their responsibility to prove them,” he said, adding that no allegations had been made directly against his party.
Nazrul Islam, who serves as chairman of the BNP’s Election Steering Committee, said the party was observing victories in more than two-thirds of the constituencies.
He said this indicated that the electorate had given BNP the mandate to govern for the next five years.
Nazrul described the day as “a significant one in Bangladesh’s history” and said voters had once again entrusted the party with governing responsibilities.
He also expressed gratitude to supporters and thanked the electorate.
When asked about the possibility of forming a national government, Nazrul said there had been no discussions on the matter.
He clarified that his visit to the Election Commission was not an official party briefing, adding that BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman would later deliver a formal statement on behalf of the party.
Nazrul Islam said BNP’s coalition partners had also secured victories, which he said reflected public confidence in the alliance’s leadership and future plans.
Comparing the latest election with previous polls, he said that earlier elections had seen significant loss of life, whereas this time there had been no reported casualties, describing it as an important development.
He, however, acknowledged that voter turnout had not reached expected levels and expressed hope that participation would increase in future elections.
Nazrul Islam thanked media organisations for their coverage, saying it had helped voters understand BNP’s plans and contributed to the electoral outcome.