Matia Chowdhury tells BNP to try its luck in polls

Awami League presidium member and deputy leader of Parliament Begum Matia Chowdhury on Saturday challenged the BNP to try its luck at the next national polls.

“Come to the polls and test your luck. We will check our popularity,” she said.

The senior Awami League leader made the remarks while addressing a peace rally of the ruling party in front of the Awami League central office in Gulistan on Saturday. The event was organized jointly by Bangladesh Awami Jubo League and  Swechasebak League.

Matia Chowdhury said: “The BNP is still hatching new conspiracies to destroy peace. They are conspiring to rig the election in various ways.”

Criticising the BNP's “foreign-dependent politics”, she said: “There is no use in trusting mentors, no one will be a guarantor. They themselves are reeling from the economic downturn.”

The former agriculture minister also said: “Let us see who criticizes us. How many countries in the world give books to students for free on the first day of the year? Houses have been given to the homeless. Doors have been opened for the young.”

He pointed out that Bangladesh once suffered from lack of food, education, and shelter, but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is addressing these issues as she works to build a developed country.

Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune

Acting president of Bangladesh Awami Swechasebak League Gazi Mezbaul Hossain Sachchu said: "There is no opportunity to come to power through the back door. We have never come to power through conspiracy. We cannot come to power without elections. Do not consider our silence as  weakness. We are always ready. We will not leave the field until the elections are over."

Bangladesh Awami Swachhasevak League General Secretary Afzalur Rahman Babu said: "BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia embezzled money from orphans. Her son Tareque Zia is an arms dealer. The BNP has started a new conspiracy driven by its foreign masters. They are now trying to come to power with a Tiktok leader in front. Don't do too much, or you will be thrown into the Bay of Bengal."

General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League Alhaj Md Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil said: "BNP-Jamaat is the enemy of the country, they are parties that create militancy. BNP-Jamaat has tried to kill Bangabandhu's daughter 19 times, but they are unable to suppress Bangabandhu's daughter. 

He added that BNP-Jamaat has created terror, murder and anarchy across the country. “In Narail, our Jubo League leader Azad Sheikh and, in Ward No. 12 under Dhaka Metropolitan South, Jubo League leader Sheikh Waliullah Rubel were brutally killed."

Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune

He said: "Don't the foreign overlords see how the  BNP-Jamaat are carrying out murders and terrorist attacks? No matter what the conspiracies are, elections will be held on time in Bangladesh. No foreign overlords' interference will be accepted here."

He announced a youth rally under the banner of youth in front of the south gate of Baitul Mukarram on July 24.

Bangladesh Awami Juba League presidium members Md. Rafiqul Islam, Md Nabi Newaz, Md. Moazzem Hossain, Engineer Mrinal Kanti Joaddar, Tajuddin Ahmed, Central Jubo League Publicity Secretary Joydev Nandi, Office Secretary Md. Mostafizur Rahman Masud, Deputy Office Secretary Md. Delwar Hossain Shahzada and others also spoke.

Leaders of Central Jubo League and Swechasebak League and Dhaka Metropolitan North-South Jubo League and Volunteer League and leaders of various wards were present.

At around 5pm, a scuffle broke out between some people in attendance. After some time, AL leaders came to the spot and asked the disruptors to leave, and they did so without any incident.