People of the country, as well as the whole world, have rejected the Dec 30 general election, claims BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

His remarks came on Wednesday (Jan 16) during a discussion over late Dr TIM Fazle Rabbi, a former minister and Jatiya Party leader, at Dhaka’s Press Club.
“It was no election, rather a farce. People’s rights were snatched. People of the country, as well as the international community, rejected it,” said the BNP secretary general.

Urging supporters not to plunge in disappointment, he said, “It’s our duty as a political party that we don’t allow despair to set in and move forward with resolve.”

Accusing the ruling Awami League of destroying the State institutions, Alamgir said, “It’s apparent that they have destroyed all the State institutions from the judiciary to the Ansar.”

The current regime is taking the country towards a one-party rule, according to Alamgir.

The Awami League has returned for a third straight term after the 11th National Election, gaining victory at 259 seats. The Jatiya Oikya Front, the opposition alliance with the BNP as its largest member, won eight seats.

The alliance cited widespread rigging and voter intimidation among other irregularities to reject the results and demanded a fresh election under a neutral polls-time administration.

The EC rejected the demand while the ruling Awami League dismissed the allegations of rigging and intimidation.