BNP pledges to ensure peaceful elections: Nazrul Islam Khan

BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan on Sunday said the party will play the role required for holding a peaceful election.

“We want to clearly state that our leader Tarique Rahman, upon returning to the country after 17 years, repeatedly spoke about peace at a massive public rally. Therefore, BNP will play the role required for holding a peaceful election. That is why our party and the Election Management Committee formed by the party will work for a free and fair election,” he said.

Nazrul made the remarks at a press conference at BNP's election office in Gulshan.

Earlier, the first meeting of BNP's Election Management Committee was held ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

Regarding the first meeting of the Election Management Committee, Nazrul Islam Khan said, “In the today’s meeting, we have discussed the overall situation. Sub-committees will be formed on relevant topics under the leadership of these team leaders.”

“We have requested them to give us a proposal within the next two days about who can be in those sub-committees. After that, we will finalize those sub-committees through discussion, and they will start working more actively,” he added.

Nazrul Islam Khan said, “Many election-related issues were discussed in the meeting. How we can assist our candidates. How we can play a role in holding a peaceful, free, and fair election. How we can motivate voters to come to the polling centres on time. And, how we can encourage them to vote for our party and our party's candidates”.

He said, “Our sub-committees will work on their respective issues to address these matters. They will advise us and assist our candidates.”

“'Through the mass uprising of July-August 2024, we managed to oust the fascist government. But democracy was not established in the country. The restoration of democracy can only be fully established through a free and fair election, through people's votes and public support. That is why we have repeatedly spoken about elections. This is BNP's history,” he said.

Nazrul Islam Khan further said, “The upcoming 12 February election is the result of our long-standing movement. The people of the country could not vote for many years, they could not elect their chosen candidates. We hope that this time, the people will be able to elect their preferred candidates through votes and get a government of their choice.”

An Election Management Committee has been formed with experienced and responsible leaders to conduct BNP's election activities smoothly and in a coordinated manner.

The committee includes BNP Standing Committee Member Selima Rahman and Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu as Vice-Chairmen. Md Ismail Jabirullah has been given the responsibility of Chief Coordinator.

The other committee members are from the party's Standing Committee, Chairperson's Advisory Council, Joint General Secretaries and Organising Secretaries. Among them are Moeazzem Hossain Alal, Bijan Kanti Sarkar, Habib Un Nabi Khan (Sohel), Ziauddin Haider, Manjur Hossain Alamgir, Mahdi Amin, Saleh Shibly, A K M Wahiduzzaman, Saimum Parvez, Rehan Asad and Zubayer Babu.

Also in the committee are Maj Gen (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar, Abdul Qaiyum, Giasuddin Rimon, Humayun Kabir, A B M Abdus Sattar, Mohammad Zakaria, Mostakur Rahman, Belayet Hossain Mridha, Mehedul Islam, Farhad Halim Donar, Prof Morshed Hasan Khan, Kamrul Islam Sojol, Prof Harun-ur-Rashid, Engineer Shoeb Bashari Bablu, Kamruzzaman Kaiser, Ishtiak Aziz Ulfat, Abdul Moneym Munnah, Afroza Abbas, Monir Khan, A N M Khalilur Rahman Ibrahim, Yasin Ali, Abul Kalam Azad, Kazi Md Selim Reza, Rakibul Islam Rakib and Anwar Hossain.