Dhaka, Sept 29 – Former president and Jukta Front Chairman AQM Badruddoza ChFormer on Saturday urged the democratic forces to get united to resist any ‘election mockery’ and restore people’s voting right.“Bangladesh will face destruction while democracy will be exiled forever if the elections see engineering and mockery in the future again. So, we must carry out our struggle to establish people’s rights,” he said.
Speaking at the council session of The Bangladesh Muslim League, as the chief guest B Chowdhury said, “Pro-democratic forces must wake up and raise their voice that we won’t accept any election of mockery. Restoring people’s voting rights should be the number one point of our struggle.”
The 9th national council of Muslim League, country’s oldest party, was held at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh. Presided over by its Acting president Adv Badruddoza Ahmed Suja the council session was also addressed by BML secretary general Kazi Abul Khair, executive president Abdul Aziz Hawladar, senior members of presidium Atiqul Islam, Islami Shasantantra chief Shah Ataullah Ibne Hafezzi Huzur, president of Nezame-e-Islami, Mufti Izaharul Islam Chowdhury and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party chief Bobby Hajjaj among others.
B Chowdhury, also the president of Bikolpo Dhara Bangladesh, alleged that people’s voting right was snatched through the January-5 election in 2014 where 154 MPs were chosen without people’s vote.
He accused senior-most leaders of the AL of breaching a pledge to arrange an inclusive election immediately after the January-5 one. “The AL leader had stated it was an election just to maintain law and rules, and we would soon hold an election with the participation of all parties. But the leader didn’t keep the words.”
B Chowdhury urged the leaders and activists of the Muslim League to play a role in restoring people’s voting right.
The Muslim League council abolished its Presidium and in its place formed a 17-member Standing Committee, elected Advocate Badruddoza Ahmed Suja president and Kazi Abul Khair secretary general for two years and adopted a number of resolutions calling for securing rights on water of common rivers, and the creation of a congenial political atmosphere for all parties, because the absence of equal opportunities for all parties would be dangerous.
BML secretary general Kazi Abul Khair said that the political situation was so serious that the people had never experienced before, as both the main opposition and the ruling parties have expressed their fear of their existence in case of defeat in the next election. What a dangerous situation the people have been thrust into, he exclaimed. Banks have been plundered, the economy ruined while dead bodies of people are being found every day. The people achieved independence to see all these, he asked. Referring to conspiracies to destroy the BML he said none would succeed in this because at least 10 million books are there at the party in the subcontinent.
Mr Atiqul Islam said that the Muslim league had organized elections and embraced defeat in the past but none could label allegations of corruption against its leaders.
Shah Ataullah Ibne Hazezzi Huzur underscored the need for parties with identical views on the political situation to come to a single platform to save the nation and secure the rights of Muslims who were faciung attacks from different directions.
Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury said that the people want a free and fair election. He said his party was opposed to appreciating material benefits at the cost of faith.
Bobby Hajjaj urged leaders of large political parties to show the way out of the present situation instead of treading blames. The people want to see a democratic government in the country. For this senior leaders not only press for the election-time caretaker government but also spell-out its outline. If other parties fail to do this BML along with like-minded parties would announce the framework of caretaker government, he added.
