BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday alleged that Awami League has been conspiring to rig votes again in the next election using the state machinery.
“Awami League is conspiring against people. They’re hatching a plot to snatch people’s voting rights again and rig votes in the upcoming (general) election,” he said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader also said the ruling party has been trying hard to hang onto power by regulating the judiciary, gaging the media and using government officials.
“All the vote thieves have joined hands to manipulate the election while people are getting united to resist them,” he observed.
READ: AL conspiring to hinder BNP’s victory in city polls, alleges Fakhrul
As part of their party’s second phase of countrywide programmes, Chattogram south district unit BNP arranged the rally in Karnafuli CDA residential field on the south side of Shah Amanat Bridge demanding Begum Khaleda Zia’s advanced treatment abroad.
Khosru, a BNP standing committee member, said the people of Bangladesh have been closely observing the election manipulators and vote robbers.
“The wave of movement that has created now will foil all plots and evil plans. Those who’ve been involved in the conspiracy against people won’t be spared. No one of those who’re snatching our constitutional and basic rights will be spared,” he warned.
The BNP leader said their party’s ongoing movement gathered pace across the country with the spontaneous participation of mass people. “No force can stop this movement. Those who’ve sold the soul of Bangladesh will have to pay the price in the future.”
Referring to media reports that the government is making a list of BNP leaders and activists, he said almost all, except a few supporters of Awami League, now belong to BNP. “Now there's no politician in Awami League. No one except those involved in plundering, is now with Awami League.”
“The US State Department's Human Rights report has made it clear that it’s a political decision to imprison Begum Zia. It has also become as clear as daylight around the world that this regime came to power by resorting to enforced disappearances, killings, false cases and vote robbery at midnight,” the BNP leader said.
In the United States, he said, members of the Congress of the two parties are jointly talking about taking effective action against the Bangladesh government. “Human rights organisations around the world are calling for effective action against it. The most famous newspapers in the world are also advocating for taking similar action. They’re saying a regime has been in power in Bangladesh by stealing votes and depriving people of their freedom of speech.”
READ: Clash at BNP rally in Chattogram, stage collapses
Khosru said they will no longer demand for the release of their party chairperson Khaleda Zia as they will ensure her release by ousting the current regime from power.
Rally stage collapses
Meanwhile, a clash broke out between two groups of BNP activists while Khosru was delivering his speech.
Although no one was injured, the stage collapsed with the leaders on it during the clash.
The BNP activists also threw chairs at each other and clashed using sticks.
Later, senior BNP leaders intervened and brought the situation under control.