BNP leaders and activists are threatening voters: Sarjis

National Citizen Party (NCP) northern region chief organizer and Panchagarh-1 parliamentary candidate Md. Sarjis Alam has alleged that BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is clearly violating the code of conduct.
Raising allegations against the party’s local leaders and activists, he further said, ‘The local leaders and activists of BNP are threatening voters and followers of traditional religions. We want to say – the politics of fear will not continue in this Bangladesh anymore.’
He said this to the media personnel after receiving tokens at the Panchagarh District Commissioner’s office on Wednesday (January 21) afternoon.
Sarjis Alam said, ‘The leaflets that BNP has taken from house to house in the name of Khaleda Zia’s condolence message. This is another way to finally express sympathy and seek votes from house to house. We have not made any complaint about this. Tarique Rahman is showing his card as the party chief at a function in Karail slum. He is saying – this will happen, that will happen. Which is a clear violation of the election code of conduct. He cannot entice anyone to seek votes.’
He further alleged, ‘If a party leader shows such a card from his place – which does not exist. There is no guarantee that they will be able to form the government. He cannot entice people there to seek votes like this. Despite violating the code of conduct in this way, we have not filed any formal complaint till now.’
Sarjis Alam alleged that BNP leaders and workers are threatening him, he said, ‘BNP leaders and workers at the local, ward, union and upazila levels are threatening voters and followers of traditional religions. We want to say that the politics of fear will not continue in this Bangladesh. A precedent was set in Bangladesh one year and four months ago for those who want to do this politics of oppression.’
He further said, ‘We can seek votes from the voters from our place. But we have to give it, if not, then we will see – we do not expect anything like this. We have made a verbal complaint today. If necessary, we will make a written complaint.’ But we will not accept it in any way.’
Sarjis Alam said, ‘We have not made any such complaint about the violation of the code of conduct of small political parties. We think it may be a bit of a misunderstanding. We are working in a fair process from our place. If there is an attempt to intimidate voters, our workers, supporters and party leaders and workers and anyone from the 10 parties, then administrative action will have to be taken. Otherwise, we will build resistance. This Bangladesh is not the Bangladesh of the past.’
Seeking cooperation for a transparent election, he said, ‘Will one political party suppress and oppress while the rest will watch drama? There is no time for drama in Bangladesh anymore. I am telling other political parties—we have not threatened anyone so far, we will not. This is not in our political character. The card that BNP is talking about—they will give oil, rice, pulses to the people with this card. Do they want to disable the people? We want a transparent election—for this, our all-out cooperation will continue.’