Staff Reporter:
BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan has said that the Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) report on the 12th Parliamentary election reflects the opinion of the countrymen.
Khan came up with the observation after placing wreaths at the grave of the party founder late president Ziaur Rahman in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area on Friday.
The BNP leader along with leaders and activists of the party’s different front and associate bodies went to the grave marking the 88th birth anniversary of Ziaur Rahman. The BNP men also offered prayers there seeking eternal peace for the party founder.
While talking to reporters there, Khan also called upon his party men to take a fresh vow to wage a tougher movement to restore democracy in the country by unseating the incumbent government.
UNB adds: As his attention was drawn to the ministers’ comments opposing TIB’s statement on the national election, the BNP leader said, “Who didn’t say that this election was not fair… everyone said that the election was not fair. So what TIB has said is a reflection of public opinion.”
Khan said what the BNP has been saying about the election is also a reflection of public opinion. “So, TIB did not say this (election was not fair) as BNP liked it. What it said was the fact.”
Leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies, led by the party standing committee members, paid homage to its founder Ziaur Rahman by placing wreaths at his grave, marking his 88th birth anniversary.
Earlier on Wednesday, TIB described the 12th parliamentary election as a one-sided one that was staged to appear competitive.
At a press conference, TIB also unveiled the primary findings of their study on the January 7 polls and said such an election was an “ominous sign” for the country’s democracy and the future of elections.
Nazrul appreciated the opinions given by local and foreign organisations disapproving of the election held on January 7. “Fairly speaking, we’ll welcome those who speak on behalf of the people of Bangladesh. What we say matters, what people say matters.”
He said the country’s people do not like the autocracy of the current Awami League government which unjustly arrested the BNP leaders and activists, including Begum Khaleda Zia, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Mirza Abbas, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Shamsuzzaman Dudu and Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal. We condemn it. We also thank all those who criticise injustice, tyranny, repression and vote-stealing.
The BNP leader said democracy restored by Ziaur Rahman was again destroyed by the Awami League government. “We’ll let you know various programmes of the ongoing movement to restore that democracy.
Nazrul said Ziaur Rahman brought back democracy by ending the despotic rule of Baksal while Khaleda Zia restored democracy by ending Ershad’s military dictatorship.
“We’re now fighting to restore democracy under the leadership of Tarique Rahman. On the birth anniversary of Ziaur Rahman, we take a fresh vow that we’ll restore democracy in the country as soon as possible with the help of the democracy-loving people of this country,” he said.
The BNP and its associated bodies are celebrating the 88th birth anniversary of its founder Ziaur Rahman on Friday with various programmes.
Born on January 19, 1936, at Bagbari in Bogura, Ziaur Rahman, founded BNP in 1978 and became the country’s seventh president. Zia was assassinated by a group of army officers at Chattogram Circuit House on May 30, 1981.
