Bangladesh is no one’s personal property, says BNP’s Mirza Abbas

He calls on several political parties to come to vote

BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas has warned that "Bangladesh is no one's personal property, recalling the activities of the ousted Awami League government.

At a BNP event in Dhaka on Wednesday, he asked why there were so many "conditions" for holding the polls, pointing to the several political parties' stances regarding the national election.

The interim government has taken reform initiatives for the country's democratic transition after the Awami League government was toppled in a mass uprising on Aug 5 last year.

Some parties, including the student organisation that led the uprising and Jamaat-e-Islami, are in favour of the national election upon the completion of reforms.

The students' new political party, the National Citizen Party, or NCP, has demanded the July Charter’s prompt implementation.

They want parliamentary and Constituent Assembly elections to be held together, aiming to establish a “new Constitution and the second republic” through the body.

The government said it would be possible to complete the reforms and hold elections by the end of 2025 or the first half of 2026, depending on how the reforms are approved.

It is also talking about elections on the basis of the July Charter.

On the other hand, the BNP has been demanding general elections after the swift completion of necessary reforms.

Abbas said, "We have poured ‘our’ fresh blood for democracy, freedom of speech, and voting rights. Today when it comes to the time of voting, now you say - if you don't do this or that, there will be no vote … why? "

He continued, “The Awami League has always considered the country as its father's estate. Do you think so?

“Bangladesh is no one’s personal property. It’s for its people.”

Abbas said, “There are some greedy politicians among many who oppose for no reason. They just want to be in power or to gain power anyway."

Noting that the BNP has “no objection” to whoever comes to power through the election, he said: “Come to vote. Why are you afraid of elections?"

The BNP leader did not name the political parties opposing the polls and claimed that as many as 422 leaders and activists of the party were martyred in one month asking others – “how many have you had?"