Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has alleged that BNP replicated the controversial "Magura-style" election in the recent polls held in Sherpur-3 and Bogura-6 constituencies.
He claimed that the alleged irregularities surpassed even those witnessed during the Awami League's tenure.
Porwar made these remarks on Friday while addressing a protest rally organised by Dhaka Metropolitan Jamaat-e-Islami at the north gate of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. The demonstration was held in protest against what the party described as electoral fraud, vote rigging and attacks on Jamaat leaders and activists during the by-elections.
In his speech, Porwar said, "BNP has repeated the 'Magura-style' election reminiscent of its previous rule. Incidents of vote rigging, ballot stuffing, capture of polling centres and attacks on opposition activists in Sherpur and Bogura have set a precedent that even surpasses those during the Awami League era."
Referring to a national referendum, he further alleged that BNP had pledged to honour its outcome prior to the elections but later annulled the decision after forming the government. He described this as a betrayal of the nation and a grave dishonour to the sacrifices of martyrs.
Porwar said, "If the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the Law Minister and other ministers and MPs are unwilling to accept the verdict of 70 per cent of the people in the referendum, they should declare in Parliament that they did not vote 'Yes'. If they did, they should have taken the oath to implement the 'July Charter' through the Constitutional Reform Council."
He also claimed that BNP had submitted notes of dissent on several reform proposals which, according to him, were rejected by the public through a 'Yes' vote in the referendum. Ignoring this mandate, he alleged, indicates that BNP is moving towards authoritarianism and working to retain what he termed as "black laws" enacted during Sheikh Hasina's rule.
Warning BNP, Porwar said no government can sustain itself in power by betraying the people. He urged the party to take effective steps to resolve the ongoing political crisis.
The rally was presided over by Mohammad Selim Uddin, Amir of Dhaka Metropolitan North Jamaat-e-Islami. Among others who addressed the gathering were Advocate Dr Helal Uddin, Nayeb-e-Amir of Dhaka Metropolitan South, and Dr Abdul Mannan, Assistant Secretary of the same unit.
The event was conducted by Dr Rezaul Karim, Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan North. Also present were central Majlis-e-Shura members Dr Fakhruddin Manik and Muhammad Shamsur Rahman, along with several other leaders including Kamrul Ahsan Hasan, Abdus Sattar Sumon, Ashraful Alam Imon and Mujibur Rahman.
Following the rally, a protest procession marched from the north gate of Baitul Mukarram to the Bijoynagar intersection via Paltan Mor. Thousands of activists participated, demanding the cancellation of the by-election results in Sherpur-3 and Bogura-6 and protesting alleged electoral fraud and administrative bias.
