Leaders of different political parties, at separate programmes in the capital yesterday, demanded the annulment of the results of 10th parliamentary elections, terming them “unilateral” and “farcical.”
They called on the ruling Awami League to take steps to hold an inclusive general election, with the participation of all political parties.
They also called on the BNP-led opposition alliance to stop violence in the name of protest.
At a press conference at National Press Club, leaders of the National Democratic Front, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh (a faction of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal led by ASM Abdur Rob), and the Krishak Sramik Janata League said most of the political parties and voters had boycotted the January 5 elections.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of Bangladesh President Mujahidul Islam Selim and General Secretary Khalequzzaman (from a faction of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh) separately issued statements expressing their concerns that the January 5 election would worsen the current political crisis.
Leaders of the Democratic Left Alliance, a combination of the eight left-leaning political parties, also called on the government to cancel the elections at a press conference at Nirmal Sen Auditorium in the capital. The leftwing leaders also urged the government to take steps to stop post-election attacks on Hindus across the country.