BNP’s Rizvi warns Awami League leader Quader of public wrath over election plan

BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has warned Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader of public wrath, saying 'people' will not tolerate any scheme to hold another 'one-sided election’ as the government did in 2014.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 August 2018, 12:52 PM
Updated : 23 August 2018, 12:52 PM

Rizvi’s comments came after Quader threatened the BNP with 'dire consequences' if it tries to foil the election.

"Never think that the people will sit idle if you adopt illegal means and take away their right to vote," Rizvi said at a press conference in the BNP central office on Thursday.

The BNP has to decide if it wants to take part in the election or not, Quader told journalists after the Eid prayer service at Kabirhat in Noakhali on Wednesday. He said he does not feel the need to persuade the BNP to participate in the election.

Quader also threatened the BNP with "draconian measures" in case it plans to 'skip the election and 'opt for violence.'

"They won't be left alone in the political arena. The election will be held under the caretaker government and BNP will participate under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia," Rizvi said in response to Quader's comments.

The BNP leader said that 'signs are evident 'that the Awami League is 'planning for a one-sided election' again.

“They have kept the eminent lawyer Barrister Moudud Ahmed under house-arrest and didn't allow him to go and pray at his parents' graves on Eid."

“This is the notion of democracy which is nurtured by Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader; that there won't be any freedom of speech and they'll have a one-sided election. We want to warn them that a large force of common people is out there to prevent this voter-less election."