Nahid doubts fair local elections

Nahid made the remarks at a press conference on Wednesday (October 28) at the Rajbari Poura Auditorium, ahead of a meeting on reviewing organisational progress and formulating plans for the local government elections.

He said many of the practices seen during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure were continuing under the current government, despite ongoing calls to implement the demands of the July uprising.

“We do not want another fascist regime,” he said, adding that although the BNP government lacked the capacity for fascism, it was moving towards authoritarianism.

Nahid also criticised the government for failing to remove the energy and home affairs ministers despite what he described as their poor performance. He called for competent people to be appointed to the ministries to help normalise the situation.

He further alleged that journalists were facing harassment, shootings and physical assaults because the current government did not believe in press freedom.

He said the government had failed to implement any of the proposed reforms, adding that efforts were being made to silence the media.

“We stand with journalists and will continue to do so.''