Citizens for Responsible Democracy smells conspiracy to foil Dec 30 election

The opposition BNP-led alliance is out to derail the Dec 30 general election, a civil society platform has alleged.

The Citizens for Responsible Democracy made the allegation from a human chain organised on Saturday in front of Jatiya Press Club to protest BNP’s attacks on police and “any conspiracy to foil the election”.

“It is clear the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islam will destructively use any space given to them and we must unite in our resolve to fight every conspiracy they aim to implement,” said Dr Ashikur Rahman, coordinator of the platform.

Rahman urged all to “remain vigilant to foil” any such move.

BNP supporters clashed violently with the police on the third day of the party’s nomination form sale, in front of their headquarters at Naya Paltan in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The ruling Awami League said BNP supporters led by Mirza Abbas attacked the police without any provocation.

Rahman came down hard on the Jatiya Oikya Front in which all oppositions, including BNP, united under the leadership of Dr Kamal Hossain. But the group did not make it clear who will be the prime minister if they are voted to power.

“One of the most fundamental norms of democracy is that people must knowthe political options they have before they cast their vote,” said Rahman, a senior economist of the Policy Research Institute, and an aspirant from the Bhola-2 constituency on the Awami League ticket.

“Unfortunately, Jatiya Oikya Front has so far not mentioned truthfully who is their prime ministerial candidate. Their leaders – including those from the BNP – stay suspiciously silent every time when this question is asked,” he said.

“This is an outright travesty of public trust and people must reject such an opportunist alliance.”