Fakhrul: Schedule of election is unacceptable before resolving the issue of election-time government

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the announcement of the schedule of national elections will never be acceptable before resolving the election-time government's issue. “No one will accept the announcement of the schedule unilaterally by the Election Commission (EC) without talking to all the political parties,” he said while talking to journalists after offering prayers at the grave of  BNP founder  and late president Ziaur Rahman, in Sher-E-Banlga Nagar in Dhaka on Wednesday, on the occasion of the 39th founding anniversary of the Jatiotabadi Shromik Dal. About setting the boundary of parliamentary constituency Fakhrul said: “EC is following orders from the government, though it has its own set of ideas, policies and rules. “But the organization is following the blueprint of the government.” He alleged: “The government is going to lead one-party rule to sustain their power, as they are not interested in opening any dialogue with opposition parties and they are also ignoring public opinion. "Since Awami League came to power, they have been trying to do politics ignoring the main opposition party BNP... The caretaker government system, which was adopted by the common people, was abolished after Awami League came to power." The BNP second-in-command further alleged that Awami League has single handedly destroyed the entire electoral system and democracy of the country. “Not only us but every political party is feeling helpless under these circumstances,” he said. “Different research organizations in the country also say this is an autocratic government. The people of the country can understand how free and fair elections will be under this government.” About the EC, Fakhrul said: “EC is not neutral. The government has created them to fulfil their own agenda. This EC is not at all qualified to hold a free and fair election. "Awami League’s main agenda is to go power by hosting a one-sided election without BNP and keeping our chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in jail.” The top BNP leader claimed that Awami League has completely detached themselves from common people and they have no foundation among general people now. “If BNP participates in an election today, Awami League will lose heavily. This is why they are setting up the EC according to their choice to stay in power, which the people of this country will never accept.” Among others, BNP Vice Chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu, President of Shromik Dal Anwar Hossain, and General Secretary Nurul Islam Khan Nasim were present.