BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Tuesday said he feared some political parties might try to disrupt the upcoming national election after being disappointed by an opinion survey conducted by a leading newspaper, warning that people will foil any such attempts.
“A survey report was published today. One of the questions was which party is likely to win the most seats in the next election. Sixty-six percent of respondents said BNP, while 26 percent said Jamaat-e-Islami. The difference is 44 percent,” he said.
Speaking at the opening session of BNP’s third day of the ‘Plan to Build the Country’ programme, Nazrul Islam said the support for other parties is much lower, with even many well-known parties getting less than one percent.
“Out of frustration and despair, some may try to use conspiracies. But the people, who have already made up their minds, will not allow any conspiracy to succeed… this must be remembered,” he said.
Nazrul, a BNP Standing Committee member, said the country has already taken one step towards restoring democracy with the fall of fascism.
He said full democracy will come through holding a free and fair national parliamentary election under a non-partisan caretaker government.
The BNP leader also said the people of Bangladesh, just a few days ago, overthrew a repressive and fascist government that had ruled oppressively like a monster for the last 15 years. “That same people will not allow any conspiracy to succeed. No plot has ever defeated them, and none will be able to, Insha’Allah.”
Nazrul said the country has seen development, including big buildings, expressways, and new trains, but the basic needs and hopes of the people remain unmet.
“We have read in newspapers that Bangladesh leads the world in producing millionaires relative to its population. Yet every year, millions of people fall below the poverty line. On one side, some become millionaires, and on the other, millions live in poverty. This situation is not acceptable. This cannot be called development,” he said.
The BNP leader also said in a country where people are unemployed, starving, and poor, building large buildings, roads, and bridges is like decorating a graveyard with lights. “It may look beautiful, but darkness surrounds it. That is not development.”
On November 27, BNP announced a six-day programme called “Plans to Build the Country,” involving its affiliated groups, including Chhatra Dal, Krishak Dal, Ulema Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal, ahead of the upcoming national election.
Leaders and activists of Ulema Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal from across the country joined Tuesday’s programme to receive training on different issues so they can reach out to people and explain BNP’s plans, election manifesto, and promises before the polls.