Staff Correspondent:

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday called on the Election Commission to cancel polling stations that were created for political reasons during the Awami League’s rule.

“Polling centres that were set up for political purposes must be cancelled. The Election Commission should announce new polling stations based on the actual distribution of the population. This is our expectation and our demand,” he said while talking to reporters after paying homage to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.

Rizvi alleged that during the ‘fascist regime’ of Sheikh Hasina, many polling stations were created to serve political interests of Awami League.

“There have been three major elections – one held without voters, another in the middle of the night, and the last one was a dummy election. People have not forgotten these polls,” he said.

The BNP leader said people may move on from these elections only if the Election Commission and the interim government ensure a free and fair election in February.

Rizvi stressed that a neutral and acceptable election is essential to restore public trust in the electoral process. “If the Election Commission acts on the demands of the people and democratic political parties, voters will feel confident to go to polling centres safely after nearly 16 to 17 years.”

He urged the Election Commission to create an environment where voters can take part in the election freely and without fear or favour.

Rizvi, along with leaders and workers of the Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal, placed a floral wreath at the grave of Ziaur Rahman in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, marking the 45th founding anniversary of the BNP’s voluntary affairs wing.

They also offered fateha there and prayed for the salvation of Ziaur Rahman’s soul.

Speaking about the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) election, Rizvi alleged that a mob was created to prevent BNP’s student wing, Chhatra Dal, from buying nomination forms.

“Why is there a mob in every area when Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus’ government is in power? Why is mob culture being allowed to grow in every locality, in villages and districts? Lawlessness is rising and some unruly people are taking the law into their own hands,” he said.

The BNP leader claimed that mob culture is putting people’s lives at risk as the law is not functioning properly citing two recent incidents in Taraganj, Rangpur. “We do not accept such a situation under the interim government.”

Rizvi also criticised the government for allowing loan defaulters to reschedule and renew loans. “During Sheikh Hasina’s rule, defaulters were allowed to reschedule Tk 3.5 lakh crore worth of loans. Even under the current government, around Tk 1.5 lakh crore in bad loans have been rescheduled and renewed.”

He said those who looted public money and became loan defaulters should not be rewarded in this way.

Rizvi also demanded the arrest of those who looted money from banks. “People like Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir looted crores of taka through Farmers Bank, and Nafiz Sarafat did the same with Padma Bank. These corrupt individuals must be arrested and brought to justice.”

He also called upon the government to take strong and effective steps to recover the looted public money.