Summary:
- BNP senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi demands national elections precede local polls, warning delays could undermine interim government legitimacy.
- Criticizes 17 years of electoral irregularities, citing voter suppression, overnight result declarations, and livestock presence at polling stations.
- Accuses ruling party of obstructing opposition nominations and using false cases/attacks to suppress dissent in past elections.
- Remarks highlight deepening political tensions amid unresolved debates over Bangladesh’s electoral integrity since the 1990 pro-democracy movement.
Senior BNP leader Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi asserted Saturday that national elections must precede local government polls, warning that delays could undermine the credibility of any interim administration. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s senior joint secretary-general made the remarks during a roundtable discussion organized by the Architect Institute in Dhaka.
“Extending election timelines risks casting doubt on the legitimacy of a caretaker government,” Rizvi stated, referencing Bangladesh’s political history since the 1990 pro-democracy movement. He criticized electoral processes over the past 17 years, alleging systematic manipulation through state machinery. “We’ve witnessed unprecedented tactics — voters barred from polling stations, livestock paraded near voting centers, and results finalized overnight,” he claimed.
The opposition leader accused ruling party activists of obstructing nomination submissions by rival candidates during both national and local elections. “False cases and physical attacks became tools to suppress dissent,” Rizvi added, without providing specific incident details. His comments come amid ongoing tensions between the BNP and Awami League-led government over electoral timelines.
The event saw participation from political figures including Ehsanul Haque Huda, Ethun Babu, and Ahsan Uddin Khan Shipon. Rizvi’s remarks amplify the BNP’s longstanding criticism of Bangladesh’s electoral integrity, particularly following the contentious 2024 national polls boycotted by major opposition parties.
Historical context remains pivotal to the debate — the 1990 mass uprising that ousted military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad set expectations for multiparty democracy, which opposition groups argue remains unfulfilled. Recent local elections have drawn similar allegations of partisan influence, though authorities maintain all voting processes follow legal protocols.
This renewed focus on electoral sequencing reflects deepening political divisions as Bangladesh approaches its next constitutional election cycle, with major parties yet to clarify their participation strategies.
