BNP calls Election Commission’s show-cause notices a joke

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday said the Election Commission's show-cause notices for violations of the electoral code of conduct ahead of the January 7 polls are a joke on the country’s people.

"It is the Election Commission that has destroyed the integrity of the Constitution by announcing the election schedule against the people’s will. Now serving notices for violation of the Awami-styled election code of conduct means the commission is making fun of the people,” he said.

Speaking at a virtual press briefing, he also said there is no significance of violations of the code of conduct in a “one-sided” election where people have no participation and voters have no interest in voting.

“This will be a lopsided election where people from the same party and quarter are contesting either as direct or indirect candidates. Some are number one candidates, some are number two candidates and some are number three candidates. But all are Awami League candidates,” the BNP leader said.

He also said the commission’s decision to transfer UNOs and OCs before the election is just a reshuffle among Awami-minded officials. “The entire process is an unprecedented humorous drama of laughs and jokes.”

Rizvi said the people are least bothered about this one-sided election which has been boycotted by more than 60 political parties.

He said the musclemen of the government are attacking the houses of leaders and workers of pro-democracy parties, including the BNP, to stage a mockery in the name of an election on January 7.

“The attacks on houses and business establishments of pro-democracy leaders and activists, including the BNP, have occurred continuously all over the country. They are looting the houses of the BNP leaders and workers and harassing the women in manless houses like Al-Badrs and Rajakars,” Rizvi said.

In such a situation, he said, fear and anxiety not only grip BNP families but also ordinary voters ahead of the election.

The BNP leader alleged that the government is using law enforcers and the judiciary arbitrarily alongside ruling party “cadres” to establish fascism by once again snatching the people’s right to vote.

He claimed that over 230 BNP leaders and activists had been arrested in the last 24 hours as of 4pm on Sunday.

Source: UNB