All elections under AL govt are fake: Rizvi

BNP Senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday alleged that all the elections, including those of the Zila Parishad, under the current government are 'fake'.

"We’re now not involved in any election. We won’t talk about this election (Zila Parishad). In fact, all elections under the current regime are fake,” he said.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, the BNP leader said they are now focusing on only the national election that has to be held under a neutral caretaker government, reports UNB.

“We’re on a movement to force the government to hold the election under the caretaker government. We’ll take that movement to the path of victory."

Rizvi made the remarks as journalists sought his comment on the Zila Parishad polls.

Meanwhile, the Elections to 57 Zila Parishads were held on Monday peacefully at 925 booths in 462 centres across the country by using electronic voting machines on Monday noon.

Rizvi alleged that the ruling party leaders and ministers have started making unguarded remarks seeing the huge flow of people to BNP’s two massive rallies against corruption and misrule.

He slammed Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader for this remark that their party can arrange the gathering of 30 lakh against BNP’s 10 lakh.

“If you can gather a large crowd and have huge popularity, then why do you have to resort to vote robbery in the dead of night or uncontested voting? Not only the country's opposition parties and civil society, but the international community is also vocal and making various statements against night-time voting and uncontested elections,” Rizvi said.

The BNP leader also said that Quader's comment about holding a rally of 30 lakh people is nothing but a matter of laughter.

He alleged that the government has been stopping vehicle movements, and attacking and arresting the BNP leaders and activists during the rallies of BNP. “Despite that, the participation of mass people in BNP’s rallies is increasing gradually. People are joining the rallies by walking on foot or in vans and trawlers. The sacrifices of these patriotic people won’t go in vain.”

Rizvi urged the government to step down by handing over power to a non-party-neutral government to avert a mass upsurge in the coming days.

He also came down heavily on Information Minister Hasan Mahmud for what he said making ‘bizarre’ and ‘reckless’ comments about BNP and its programmes.

“The Information Minister is supposed to give correct information. But he gives such information that people can’t stop laughing,” the BNP leader observed.

He also said Hasan Mahmud is becoming a laughing stock before the people by making such false and fabricated remarks only to appease the prime minister.