Staff Reporter :
Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain on Monday said army has been entrusted with a tough task to create an atmosphere for a free, fair, credible and inclusive election, and hoped that they will uphold their neutrality.
“We are proud of our army as they play significant roles with pride in the peacekeeping mission. This moment, we hope they would stand by the people in the interest of a free, fair and participatory manner,” Gono Forum president Kamal said.
Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain on Monday said army has been entrusted with a tough task to create an atmosphere for a free, fair, credible and inclusive election, and hoped that they will uphold their neutrality.
He, however, said some incidents of obstructions to and attacks on opposition candidates and their supporters today after the deployment of army are totally unexpected.
“Army was deployed from today. We hope they’ll play a neutral and effective role as they did in the past. Some incidents of obstructions
to and attacks on opposition candidates and their supporters after the deployment of army are totally unexpected,” he said while addressing a press conference at Oikyafront’s Purana Paltan office.
Dr Kamal said the nation expects the role of army in creating a congenial atmosphere for holding a free, fair, neutral and participatory election. “The army has been entrusted with this tough task to create an atmosphere across the country.”
He alleged that there is a ‘blueprint’ to hold a lopsided election in the country. “This won’t be acceptable to people with good senses and those believe in democracy. This will be suicidal. If this happens, the country and the nation will face a great damage.”
The Oikyafront chief expressed the hope that the patriotic army will stand by the nation at this moment.
Replying to a question, Dr Kamal said the Election Commission (EC) should give the Oikyafront a scope to field its fresh candidates where candidatures of ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ have been annulled. “The Election to those seats should be rescheduled.”
He reaffirmed that their alliance will be there in the election race till the last under any circumstance.
Speaking at the programme, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government along with the Election Commission is turning the election into a farce.
“People can’t even think of such an election atmosphere.”
He said they sought permission from the police for holding a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on December 27, but the Dhaka Metropolitan Police still did not give them permission.
Earlier, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna read out a written speech of the Oikyafront chief.
In the written speech, Dr Kamal said a ‘chaotic and anarchic’ situation has been prevailing in the country with little improvement since the announcement of the election schedule.
“Rather, the incidents of violence are growing gradually.”
He said the Election Commission did not take any step to stop ‘one-sided’ attacks on the opposition candidates and their supporters to improve the election atmosphere.
The Oikyafront chief alleged that opposition candidates and their supporters are coming under attack in presence of police in many areas.
He alleged that the government is playing a ‘mysterious’ role in giving foreign election observers visa as part of its move to obstruct them from coming to Bangladesh.
Dr Kamal urged the EC to take steps immediately to remove the barriers created by the government to local and foreign election observers.
Narrating different incidents of attacks on Oikyafront candidates and their followers at different parts of the country, he claimed that over 7,000 leaders and activists of their alliance have been arrested since the announcement of the election schedule. Under the circumstances, Dr Kamal urged all, including the youth and students, to take position in favour of truth and fairness from their respective positions, and cast votes in a festive mood on December 30 to make the ongoing movement for ‘restoration’ of democracy a success.
Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain on Monday said army has been entrusted with a tough task to create an atmosphere for a free, fair, credible and inclusive election, and hoped that they will uphold their neutrality.
“We are proud of our army as they play significant roles with pride in the peacekeeping mission. This moment, we hope they would stand by the people in the interest of a free, fair and participatory manner,” Gono Forum president Kamal said.
Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain on Monday said army has been entrusted with a tough task to create an atmosphere for a free, fair, credible and inclusive election, and hoped that they will uphold their neutrality.
He, however, said some incidents of obstructions to and attacks on opposition candidates and their supporters today after the deployment of army are totally unexpected.
“Army was deployed from today. We hope they’ll play a neutral and effective role as they did in the past. Some incidents of obstructions
to and attacks on opposition candidates and their supporters after the deployment of army are totally unexpected,” he said while addressing a press conference at Oikyafront’s Purana Paltan office.
Dr Kamal said the nation expects the role of army in creating a congenial atmosphere for holding a free, fair, neutral and participatory election. “The army has been entrusted with this tough task to create an atmosphere across the country.”
He alleged that there is a ‘blueprint’ to hold a lopsided election in the country. “This won’t be acceptable to people with good senses and those believe in democracy. This will be suicidal. If this happens, the country and the nation will face a great damage.”
The Oikyafront chief expressed the hope that the patriotic army will stand by the nation at this moment.
Replying to a question, Dr Kamal said the Election Commission (EC) should give the Oikyafront a scope to field its fresh candidates where candidatures of ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ have been annulled. “The Election to those seats should be rescheduled.”
He reaffirmed that their alliance will be there in the election race till the last under any circumstance.
Speaking at the programme, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government along with the Election Commission is turning the election into a farce.
“People can’t even think of such an election atmosphere.”
He said they sought permission from the police for holding a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on December 27, but the Dhaka Metropolitan Police still did not give them permission.
Earlier, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna read out a written speech of the Oikyafront chief.
In the written speech, Dr Kamal said a ‘chaotic and anarchic’ situation has been prevailing in the country with little improvement since the announcement of the election schedule.
“Rather, the incidents of violence are growing gradually.”
He said the Election Commission did not take any step to stop ‘one-sided’ attacks on the opposition candidates and their supporters to improve the election atmosphere.
The Oikyafront chief alleged that opposition candidates and their supporters are coming under attack in presence of police in many areas.
He alleged that the government is playing a ‘mysterious’ role in giving foreign election observers visa as part of its move to obstruct them from coming to Bangladesh.
Dr Kamal urged the EC to take steps immediately to remove the barriers created by the government to local and foreign election observers.
Narrating different incidents of attacks on Oikyafront candidates and their followers at different parts of the country, he claimed that over 7,000 leaders and activists of their alliance have been arrested since the announcement of the election schedule. Under the circumstances, Dr Kamal urged all, including the youth and students, to take position in favour of truth and fairness from their respective positions, and cast votes in a festive mood on December 30 to make the ongoing movement for ‘restoration’ of democracy a success.
