Govt resorting to ploys to delay election: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday (5 June) accused the interim government of 'resorting to tactics' to delay the national election, ignoring the hopes and aspirations of people.

"Sheikh Hasina has seemingly relegated free and fair elections to the museum. After her removal, people hoped that Dr Muhammad Yunus would quickly restore their right to vote. But, the issue of the election is merely being stalled through various tactics," he said.

The BNP leader made the remarks while speaking at a doa mahfil and Eid gift distribution programme in the city's Uttara area, organised by Rashid Group to mark the 44th death anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.

Rizvi said the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, is set to complete one year in office this August, yet no visible reforms have so far been carried out.

He urged the government to implement the necessary reforms promptly in a bid to hold the election by December, in line with the wishes of the people.

The BNP leader also said the people of the country are eagerly waiting for the election to choose their representatives, as they have long been deprived of their right to vote.

Later, Rizvi distributed Eid gifts to several hundred low-income group of people.

BNP Health Affairs Secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam, Dhaka North City Unit Member Secretary Mustafa Zaman, Joint Conveners SM Jahangir Hossain, ABMA Razzak, M Kafil Uddin Ahmed, and Rashid Group Chairman and Dhaka North City BNP Member Motaleb Hossain Raton were, among others, present.

Earlier at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi said neither party's acting chairperson Tarique Rahman's wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, nor their only daughter, Barrister Zaima Rahman, has any Facebook accounts.

"We are deeply concerned to notice that a criminal syndicate is intentionally creating fake and false Facebook accounts in the names of Dr Zubaida Rahman and Barrister Zaima Rahman, posting misleading and fabricated comments. The fraudsters are using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to create and circulate fabricated images and videos of them on social media," he said. 

He strongly condemned and protested such despicable activities on social media. 

Rizvi also urged the people not to be misled by such misinformation.

He described the creation of fake accounts in the names of Zubaida Rahman and Zaima Rahman as a "malicious and premeditated" activity aimed at creating confusion in the minds of the people regarding the Zia family.\

Rizvi called for the immediate arrest and punishment of those responsible for creating the fake accounts in the names of the Zia family members.