Staff Correspondent:

Claiming that about 75 percent of the people want the election to be held now, BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Zainul Abedin Farroque on Wednesday urged Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to take steps in this regard instead of wasting time in the name of reform.

“About 75 percent of the people of Bangladesh want elections right now. No more delay in arranging the election as it is needed now,” he told a token sit-in programme.

Bangladesh Jatiya Nagorik Porishad organised the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding a roadmap for the parliamentary election and the arrest of those of the Awami mafia regime who used illegal weapons on people and their trial before the polls.

Farroque, also a former opposition chief whip in parliament, said the government’s reform initiative is almost at its final stage.

He urged the interim government not to take any such reform agenda that could delay the election through a 1/11-style conspiracy.

Describing Prof Yunus as a respected and acceptable person, the BNP leader urged him to take the final decision on holding the election by December this year. “Please make arrangements for that.”

He said the country’s people will establish a Parliament with their representatives through a credible election.

Farroque said the BNP’s 31-point state overhauling proposal will be implemented through the next Parliament to take the country forward if the people vote the party to power.

Addressing the Chief Adviser, he said there is a conspiracy afoot regarding the election. “Somewhere, there is a chess game being played and an attempt to stop you from holding the election at the right time. You need to be aware of that and your advisers need to be careful about it,” he said.

The BNP leader said time is being spent only on reforms and reform commissions. “The real purpose of the election is being disrupted. Through an election, the people will bring the pro-Bangladesh forces to power who will solve the country’s problems.”

Opposing the government’s decision to provide a corridor for Myanmar’s Rakhine, he called upon the Chief Adviser to leave the matter to the party that will come to power and form the government through the election under him.