BNP, Jamaat bring out processions in parts of country to enforce blockade

Despite the Election Commission's conditions for holding political events, members of BNP and Jamaat brought out rallies in different parts of the country in support of the previously announced blockade as part of their ongoing non-cooperation movement against the government.

The EC had earlier instructed not to hold any kind of meetings and gatherings except for the election campaign from 18 December.

However, Election Commissioner (EC) Md Alamgir clarified later that peaceful rallies if permitted by the home ministry, would not face EC restrictions.

BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi led a protest rally this morning (24 December) in Cumilla demanding the government's resignation. 

This demonstration took place at Chandina-Govindpur bus stand area as part of their ongoing nationwide non-cooperation movement.

In the gathering, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, "Bangladeshi people have responded to our ongoing non-cooperation movement and they will not cast their votes in this dummy election."

"No more Awami League, No more voting in a dummy election" is now the slogan of Bangladeshi people, he claimed.

"While the Awami League is set to organise a one-sided dummy election without the opposition parties, the people of the country are protesting on the streets demanding a fair election under a caretaker government," Rizvi said.

"Even in this dummy election, Awami League members are engaged in internal conflicts. Several lives have already been lost," Rizvi added.

"They are orchestrating deliberate arson attacks and chaos, but blaming opposition parties who are fighting to restore democracy. Blaming these on the opposition parties is an old habit of Awami League," the BNP senior leader said.

BNP Central Health Affairs Secretary Dr Md Rafiqul Islam, Chhatra Dal former secretary-member of Comilla North Touhidul Islam Babu, and several other party leaders and activists were present.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists conducted marches across various parts of the capital this morning to protest the government's "rigged election."

Alongside their marches, they engaged in picketing and road blockades in several areas including Farmgate, Uttara, Shewrapara, Mirpur, Malibagh, Vashantek, Mohammadpur, Jurain, Khilgaon, Matuail, Segunbagicha, and Gendaria.

Photo: Courtesy

It is the 12th round of the blockade programme of the opposition parties since 31 October, and the first one since the announcement of their non-cooperation movement against the government on 20 December.

"The people of Bangladesh have taken to the streets to prevent the government's rigged election. They have expressed discontent through the ongoing non-cooperation movement and vowed not to leave the streets until the so-called election is cancelled," said Mahfuzur Rahman, a Central Majlis-e-Shura member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and assistant secretary of Dhaka North.

He called upon everyone to gather on all roads on the upcoming 7 January to obstruct the election.

Jamiat-e-Islami Dhaka Metropolitan South's council member Kamrul Ahsan Hasan said, "This illegitimate government has looted nearly Tk92,000cr only from banks in the past 15 years. They've robbed the country's wealth and smuggled it abroad. This fascist government has suppressed the people's opinions and established autocracy by uprooting democracy."

Photo: Courtesy

They've arranged another staged election similar to those of 2014 and 2018. Awami League has turned this election into a farce by fielding dummy candidates against themselves," he said.

"No election without a neutral caretaker government will be acceptable to the nation. We will resist the election on 7 January at any cost, InshaAllah," he further asserted.