Awami League's assurance of fair elections a trap for BNP: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday said Awami League’s assurance of a fair election is a trap to deceive their party.

“Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader assured that the next election would be fair… We would like to say joining the polls without a non-party neutral government means falling into their trap of deception,” he said.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi also said what the ruling party leaders and the prime minister are saying about the fair election is nothing but a deception, reports UNB.

He also said people cannot understand what Obaidul Quader exactly meant by 'fair election', as there is an 'Awami version' of the fair election which the country’s people have been watching for 14 years.

The BNP leader also said the definition of Awami League’s fair voting is to hold the election without votes like in 2014 or stuffing ballots at night like in 2018 by using all the forces to subdue the people and by establishing a reign of terror.

He said people will be able to cast their votes as per their wish only if the election is held under a non-party government. “That’s why we’re on a movement for holding the election under a non-party neutral government.”

Rizvi also opposed the government’s plan to hold the election using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), noting many countries already backed off from this system due to various faults.

He said ballot papers must be used instead of EVM for holding a fair, credible and transparent election.

The BNP leader said people got a message in advance that the next polls will be marred with massive rigging and vote robbery from Obaidul Quader’s comment that the election will be held using EVM and the Election Commission will remain neutral.

He also slammed the ruling party general secretary for his remark that BNP must join the election for protecting its existence. “Obadiul Quader’s remarks give an impression that he is not only the general secretary of Awami League, but also an advisor of BNP.”

Rizvi said the anarchy over soybean oil across the country has manifested that the government has no programme other than plundering public money. "The government has created a scope for profiteers to make money by increasing the price of soybean oil."