Dhaka: BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday said the next general election must be held under a non-party neutral administration as the ‘countdown for farewell to the government has begun’.

‘Imprisoning Khaleda Zia by convicting her through a farcical legal process is part of the government’s master plan to keep her out of the next national election. I would like to say the countdown for the farewell to the government has already started,’ he said, reports the UNB.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, the BNP leader also said the government must free their party chairperson Khaleda from jail as it will be forced to hold the election under a non-party administration by dissolving the current parliament, no matter what evil designs it resort to.

Rizvi alleged that the government did not take any step for ensuring better medical treatment of Khaleda though she is seriously ill in jail.

He demanded the government immediately release the BNP chief and ensure her better treatment.

About Gazipur city polls, the BNP leader said the election was held as per the ‘latest model of vote rigging’ devised by the ruling party.

‘Awami League has presented the nation another deceitful election with the help of law enforcers and the officials engaged in the election process… It’ll remain as a history of another stigmatised election at home and abroad,’ he observed.

Rizvi regretted that the voters will lose their interest in any election in the future as the way the government staged a ‘drama of stanching people’s voting rights’ in Khulna and Gazipur using law enforcers.

He claimed a ‘grand festival’ of casting fake votes was held almost all centres in Gazipur while their party’s many polling agents were obstructed, beat up and arrested by police defying the High Court direction.

The BNP leader criticised the ruling party leaders for what he said justifying a ‘flawed and rigged’ election with their ‘false’ statements.

He also said the way the footages of the election irregularities, including capturing polling stations and stuffing ballots, went viral on the social media, the Election Commission would have resigned had it the minimum sense of shame.