People must vote without fear or obstruction

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman said on Saturday that elections in Bangladesh must be conducted in a manner where citizens can exercise their right to vote safely, without any obstruction, and emphasised that the party will not compromise on this principle.

He asserted that an interim government must organise a free and fair parliamentary election, allowing people to cast their votes without fear or interference, in order to counteract the conspiracies of ousted fascist forces.

"The people of this country will vote for those they support, and they won’t vote for those they do not support. But voting must occur. There will be no sham elections, no late-night voting. Voting must happen in daylight, with freedom for all to vote as they wish, safely," he added during the inaugural session of a national farmers' conference organised by the Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal at the Diploma Engineers Institution in Kakrail, Dhaka.

"No one should be disturbed while voting. People should go to polling stations, stand in queues, and cast their vote without fear. Voters will express their opinions freely. There will be no intimidation—no compromise on this matter," he added.

Tarique Rahman also emphasised that, regardless of individual political beliefs, people must be free to vote for their preferred candidates, and the elections must be conducted without fail.

He went on to say that through various media reports and social media, people are now aware of ongoing conspiracies against the nation, its people, and nationalist forces. He called on nationalist groups to convey to grassroots citizens that these conspiracies have not ceased.

The BNP acting chairman stressed that without establishing a true democratic system in the country, it will be impossible to dismantle price-fixing cartels, control corruption, or improve sectors such as education and health.

"Unless we ensure a democratic system that is accountable to the people, we will be unable to achieve any meaningful progress," he added.

Tarique Rahman promised that if the BNP is voted into power in the next election, they will reinitiate canal-digging programmes across the country to address irrigation and flooding issues.

He highlighted the agricultural sector as the country’s largest industrial sector, employing a significant number of workers and sustaining their livelihoods.

The BNP acting chairman emphasised the importance of bringing order to the country’s agricultural sector to meet the food demands of its growing population.

Tarique Rahman also announced that the Krishak Dal would be holding farmers' rallies in 400 union parishad areas across the country over the next three months, beginning on 10 November.