582 BNP leaders sentenced to disqualify them for elections: Rizvi
Another spell of BNP-Jamaat’s 48-hour blockade begins on Sunday
The government is systematically sentencing electable BNP leaders to disqualify them from participating in the upcoming parliamentary election, the party's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged.
Speaking at a virtual press conference on Saturday, Rizvi said that the government is selectively punishing active leaders of the BNP engaged in the ongoing movement, including the potential electable candidates of the opposition parties, including the BNP.
"The government has initiated trials in cases filed in 2014–15 to ensure that no one receives a sentence of less than two years, rendering them ineligible to contest the next election," he said, adding that 582 electable leaders of the BNP have been sentenced ahead of the election.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Calling the government "fascist," Rizvi urged BNP leaders and activists to take to the streets to ensure the success of a nationwide 48-hour blockade.
On Saturday evening, BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists held processions in different parts of the country in support of the blockade, which is scheduled to be enforced from 6am on Sunday until 6am on Tuesday.
This marks the seventh blockade programme enforced by the BNP to demand the government's resignation and the cancellation of the election schedule.
Rizvi expressed concerns about the upcoming 7 January election, suggesting it could mirror the 2014 voterless election and the 2018 midnight ballot stuffing.
The senior joint secretary general of BNP said in the last 24 hours till Saturday evening, 325 leaders and activists were arrested across the country. Since the announcement of the election schedule, more than 4,200 leaders and activists have been arrested, and since 28 October, 16 leaders, including one journalist, have been killed.
In a statement sent to the media on Saturday, Rizvi criticised a remark of Maria Zakharova, spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, involving the US Ambassador to Bangladesh and an opposition party of the country.
On 22 November, Maria Zakharova made a remark via Russian MFA's X (Twitter), saying, "At the end of October, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas met with a member of the local opposition to discuss plans for organising anti-government rallies."
Expressing his party's reaction, Rizvi said in the statement, "Zakharova's comments are in stark contradiction to the desires and aspirations of the citizens of Bangladesh for a transparent and inclusive election. The BNP strongly refutes the spread of disinformation."
