Certain group trying to ruin the country by delaying election: Mirza Abbas

BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas today said that a certain group is attempting to ruin the country by delaying the national election.

"Each person is raising a different demand to delay the election, ruin the electoral process, and thereby destroy the nation," he said at a programme.

He made the remarks while addressing a membership renewal and recruitment programme of the Ramna Thana unit of BNP at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in the capital's Kakrail. He was the chief guest at the event.

He said, "Don't convey the wrong message to the nation by holding such large gatherings. If popularity can be proven through rallies, then we can bring the entire Bangladesh under rallies in a single day. The whole country will hold rallies on the same day. No one will leave any place empty. This is not a proper system."

Mirza Abbas also urged politicians to be more responsible in their speeches, saying, "I urge everyone, don't speak nonsense. Don't confuse the people of the country by saying such things."

Addressing Islami Andolan's Ameer Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, Mirza Abbas said, there were three elections "held at night, during the day, and without proper rules—and they didn't protest any of them".

He said, "When the steamroller was used against BNP and Jamaat, that party and its leader watched from a distance and applauded. Indirectly, they (Islami Andolan) supported Hasina."

He also said, "Now they're giving long speeches, saying there must be local elections first, and then a PR (proportional voting) system. They are saying no national election should happen until these things are done."

"Where does this PR system come from? You don't unite to do something good for the country, it always has to be your way—local government first, then PR voting. Why, brother? Where do you discover these things? Who gives you this advice? A group of people has now come forward with such bad advice to destroy this country and its people," he added.

Citing Iran, Abbas said, "When no one in the Muslim world supported them, Iran fought alone. Because the nation was united. But in my country, some politicians want to come to power, and some want to prevent others from coming to power. This has kept the country from progressing for the past 50 years. We are gradually destroying the country."