BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu has said that the most pressing need in Bangladesh at present is an acceptable election.

He said, “Over the past 16–17 years of struggle for such a poll, many young lives have been lost, thousands of cases have been filed against party leaders and activists, and many people have been forced into exile in defence of democracy.:

He made the remarks on Friday at a symbolic youth rally in front of Jatiya Press Club, organised by Bangladesh Nagorik Odhikar Andolon in protest against what it described as conspiracies to thwart the national election.

Dudu alleged that the “fascist” Awami League government has deprived people of their voting rights and siphoned off the country’s resources abroad. He accused former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of conspiring from India and planning secret attacks.

Issuing a warning, the BNP leader said people will no longer accept any conspiracies to foil the election, and will resist them collectively.

He added that if polls are declared, normalcy will return, people will be able to exercise their franchise, and through that process BNP will be brought back to power.

He further said that in the future, Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of late president Ziaur Rahman and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, will lead Bangladesh, relying on the people to move the country forward while protecting its independence, sovereignty, and democracy.

Dudu, also a former lawmaker, recalled that Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman have repeatedly called for restoring people’s right to vote, but Awami League ignored those demands, leading to its current “pitiful state.”

“If they had allowed a fair election and preserved democracy, they would not have faced such a fate,” he said.

The rally was presided over by the organisation’s president M Jahangir Alam and conducted by its member secretary Engineer Mofazzal Hossain Hridoy.