The BNP has alleged that at least 29 false and misleading pieces of information targeting party chairman Tarique Rahman have circulated over the past week. The party claims that leaders and activists of a rival political group are reviving fabricated statements from the authoritarian era, using the same language and slogans to mislead the public.
Mahdi Amin, spokesperson for BNP’s election management committee and adviser to the chairman, made the statement at a press conference held on Tuesday at the party’s election office in Gulshan, Dhaka.
The press briefing highlighted that during Tarique Rahman’s recent visits to Khulna and Jessore, large crowds of leaders, supporters, voters, and residents turned out in favor of the party’s symbol, the sheaf of paddy. Faced with this public support, political opponents have reportedly abandoned fair competition and resorted to personal attacks and spreading misinformation.
Amin also shared details of Tarique Rahman’s upcoming election tour. On Wednesday, he will visit Barishal and Faridpur as part of the campaign. He is scheduled to fly from Dhaka to Barishal at 11:00 AM, address a rally at Bels Park at 12:00 PM, then travel to Faridpur at 1:00 PM and attend another rally at Rajendra College grounds at 1:45 PM, after which he will return to Dhaka.
The BNP also expressed concern over the deployment of Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) cadets during the 13th parliamentary election and nationwide voting. According to the party, many BNCC cadets studying in colleges and universities are affiliated with political parties or ideologies. Involving them in the election could jeopardize free, fair, and impartial voting. BNP has reportedly written to the Election Commission (EC) requesting that BNCC cadets not be deployed.
Regarding election observers, BNP raised questions about the process. According to EC data, as of January 26, 81 local organizations had approved 55,454 observers. However, only 34,442 observers come from 16 organizations. BNP alleges that leadership in some observer organizations is linked to a particular political party, which could be exploited for malicious purposes on election day.
To ensure a level playing field, BNP has submitted two demands to the EC: first, verify the full list of observers and exclude individuals affiliated with any political party or candidate, and reduce the number of observers from organizations with limited electoral experience; second, restrict entry to more than two local observers at any polling station simultaneously.
On state reforms, Mahdi Amin stated that BNP has consistently maintained a clear stance. The party presented Vision-2030 in 2016, followed by 27-point proposals in 2022 and 31-point proposals in 2023.
BNP claims that its proposals were the first to recommend a bicameral parliamentary system, term limits for the prime minister, and merit-based recruitment with a 5% quota reservation. Amin added that, in line with this continuity, the party has taken a firm position in favor of a “yes” vote on state reform in the upcoming national election.
According to BNP, strengthening citizens’ voting rights and empowerment is the key to establishing a democratic, accountable, and modern governance system.
