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DHAKA, Sept 5, 2024 (BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed today said the Election Commission is largely responsible for destroying the country’s democracy.

“I am demanding that those who are responsible for violating constitutional system should be brought to book,” he told a press conference organized by Agriculturists Association of Bangladesh (AAB) at the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in the capital.  

Castigating the chief election commissioner (CEC), who resigned today, Rizvi said: “You singlehandedly declared the results of the elections of robbery and seizure. Why didn’t you resign at that time? Your job was superior to you, didn’t you think about the country and the state?”

The BNP leader said a dangerous monster was ousted in Bangladesh through the movement of children-juvenile which stunned the world.

BNP, 20-party alliance and other like-minded alliances were waging this movement continuously, he said, adding that dictator Sheikh Hasina was deposed on August 5.

Supporting the cohorts of autocrat is tantamount to betray the blood of martyrs, he said.

“BNP is such a political party which is deeply engaged with independence and democracy. We have respect to all religions,” he added.

Rizvi said leaders of a political party, which has previous record of making secret coalition, stated about forgiveness.

Noting that mass-killers cannot get pardon, he said those who carried out genocide and who were involved with the mass-killing including members of law enforcement agencies must be brought to book.

Cohorts of autocrat Sheikh Hasina is still persisting in offices and courts, he said.

Individuals from of a special quarter are getting appointments in educational institutions currently which came into people's notice, Rizvi said.

Replying to a question, the BNP leader said the Awami League had enforced BAKSHAL and stopped all media keeping only four newspapers in 1975.

This time the AL enforced BAKSHAL in different manner as they didn't shut all media but television channels including Diganta TV and Islamic TV, national dailies-Amar Desh and Dinkal.

They also gave ownership of media to individuals having close ties with the AL while the media always acted as the party's mouthpieces, he said.

Rizvi said main task of media is to find out the truth and present objective reports, which helps flourish democracy. If media goes beyond that, it doesn't stay as media rather a tool or mouthpiece of autocrat.

Media plays a significant role to keep stability in true democratic countries, he said adding that free media is the only component for flourishing democracy and the media must present true and objective news reports to do so.

Agriculturists Shamimur Rahman Shamim and Rashidul Hasan Harun also spoke in the press conference.