BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their party will no longer allow any mockery with people in the name of election under the current government.

“People could cast their votes freely as per their wish without any chaos when the elections were held under the caretaker government. But they (AL govt) now don't allow anyone to vote. Their slogan is I will give my vote and I will also give your vote. We won’t allow such mockery with people in the name of election anymore,” he said.

Fakhrul came up with the remarks while distributing winter clothes among the helpless and destitute people in front of the Thakurgaon district unit BNP office.

He urged the government to quit power with dignity and hand over power to a non-party caretaker government for holding a fair and acceptable election.

The BNP leader said their party wants a fair and credible election to be held in the country. “But before that election, the current Awami League government has to step down. The election won’t be credible if you (AL) remain in power. You’ll surely indulge in vote rigging.”

Opposing the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the polls, he said if anyone casts a vote for the shape of a paddy it will be counted as a vote for the boat through manipulation.

He said Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system is there in the democratic country where the EVMs are used for voting, but this system is not introduced in Bangladesh. “So, we won’t allow holding the election using EVMs.”

Fakhrul said they have initiated a simultaneous movement together with people and the political parties to ensure a credible election in the country under a caretaker government.

He said if they can win the election then a national government will be formed with the representatives of the parties that are now carrying out the simultaneous movement.

The BNP leader said they have already placed a 27-point proposal to reform the state and ensure the welfare of people.

He said their party, if comes to power, will form an independent commission to identify those who are indulging in looting, corruption, and siphoning off huge money abroad during the rule of the Awami League.

“This government wants to turn Bangladesh into a country of Awami League. They (AL) have a slogan of 'one leader’s one country'…we won’t let it happen. We liberated the country through a war 50 years back to establish people’s rights and establish a happy and prosperous Bangladesh. We have started the movement to this end.”

Fakhrul claimed that their party’s 17 leaders and activists have so far sacrificed their lives in the current movement for the restoration of democracy and voting and other rights.

He alleged that Awami League has been deceiving the country’s people for over 14 years. “Our farmers don’t get fair prices of their produce while the fertilizer and insecticides are costly and not available. The prices of all commodities have gone up unusually. This usurper government is inflicting suffering on people.”

The BNP leader said people have no value to the current government since it is not an elected one. “This regime has got completely isolated from people and they have no relation with people.”