Govt plotting to rig votes this time using EVMs - BNP

BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan

Dhaka, July 31 - BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Sunday alleged that the ruling Awami League is plotting to rig votes in the next general election using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to hang onto power.

He said, "They (AL) stole votes and resorted to vote robbery by staying in power in the past. They want to loot votes this time by using the EVMs (in the next polls),” he said.

Speaking at a rally, he warned that the country’s people will not allow the ruling party to rig votes in any way. "We have not leased this country to anyone. This country is our country and we’ll surely save it."

As part of the party’s countrywide programme, BNP’s Dhaka district unit arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the ongoing load shedding and mismanagement in the power and energy sector.

Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, said no credible election can be held by keeping Awami League in power. “We have to make a permanent system for ensuring a fair election and the welfare of people.”

About the power crisis, he said the country’s people have been going through suffering due to frequent power outages. “Those who live in Dhaka are in somewhat better condition. But people in the rural areas are in serious trouble as they don’t get power for more than four-five hours throughout the day.”

The BNP leader said farmers are facing difficulties to operate the irrigation pumps due to the power crisis which will badly affect their crop production.

He said there is also a crisis of fertilizers as the government has shut down fertilizer factories showing an excuse of the electricity and fuel oil crisis. "Where will people get fertilizer, how will the country's agriculture sustain and how will our crores of farmers survive? They’re trying to make us completely dependent on others.”

Stating that a huge amount of money has been spent on the development of the power sector, he said the government earlier said that the country has doubled its capacity to generate the electricity that it needs.

“It was said that we would export electricity. But a deal has been signed with the Indian Adani  Group for importing more electricity at a much higher price. So far the power lines have not been installed, but crores of taka have been given to them.”

Describing quick rental power plants as a 'strange' thing, he said thousands of crores of taka are being cut from people's pockets every year in the name of the quick rental given to some individuals and in different places. If not, why is so much money being spent on this unnecessary sector?" - UNB