The major opposition BNP has urged the country’s people to boycott today’s parliamentary election in a bid to ensure the fall of the current regime.
“Our call to every democracy-loving voter as a citizen of the state, boycott those who have deprived you of your rights, on 7 January. Your decision for the day can ensure the fall of this fascist government,” BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said at a press briefing on Saturday.

He said the darkest chapter of a lopsided election is going to be made on 7 January in the history of Bangladesh, through holding an election, model of a “dummy” polls by the government to stay in power.
The BNP senior joint secretary-general said the state machinery loyal to the ruling Awami League has deprived people of voting rights and pushed the country into the worst-ever crisis by holding the election by ignoring the democratic world.
“This farcical election has been rejected across the world,” he added.

Rizvi alleged that the ruling party leaders and activists are in clashes as part of their infighting leaving many killed and injured centering the election of which results are already been fixed.
“On the other hand, opposition political leaders and activists including BNP have been jailed, their houses, shops, businesses, and incomes have been stopped and they have turned the whole country into hell by keeping the people hostage and threatening them,” he added.
The BNP leader further claimed that the government is committing different violence and false incidents and shifting the blame to the opposition.

Meanwhile, in a written statement issued on Saturday, Rizvi said a statement by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland issued on 5 January about the election has shocked the democracy-loving people of Bangladesh who have been disenfranchised by the regime over more than a decade.

“The Commonwealth secretary-general’s call misses many crucial issues surrounding the farcical 7 January election. The statement does not reflect the ground reality in Bangladesh.
We believe that the statement contradicts the desires and aspirations of the pro-democracy Bangladeshis who have been striving for a free, fair, inclusive, and credible election for more than a decade,” he said.
Rizvi said Patricia Scotland must be aware of the fact that the upcoming election is being boycotted by all the major pro-democracy political parties in Bangladesh.