Dhaka: BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday said their jailed Chairperson Khaleda Zia has sent out a message to the voters urging them to go to polling stations in groups on Sunday braving all odds to cast their votes.

‘Our leader Khaleda Zia sent out a message from jail a few days back to the common voters and the supporters of Sheaf of Paddy. In her message, she said voters will get a chance to free the country from the grasp of the autocratic rule on Sunday and called upon them to go to polling stations in groups defying all threats and intimidation,’ he said, reports the UNB.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi said their chairperson also urged the voters to guard polling stations from Saturday afternoon and stand in line for vote from early morning.

‘Stay near the polling stations after casting your ballots. Your one vote can ensure people’s freedom and help build a democratic Bangladesh,’ he quoted Khaleda as saying in the message. 

The BNP leader said Khaleda asked the polling agents of BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront and the 20-party alliance to check the ballot boxes before the voting starts, and not to leave the centres until having the result-sheets in their hands.

He said their party chief also directed the polling agents not to sign blank sheets without knowing the number of counted votes, and without the signatures of presiding officers. 

Rizvi said Khaleda also asked the polling agents to go to the offices of returning or assistant returning officers along with the presiding officers after vote counting.
The BNP leader alleged that their party’s 11,506 leaders and activists were arrested till December 28 since the announcement of the election schedule on November 8 while 957 ‘false’ cases were filed against opposition activists at the same time.

Besides, he said, their party’s nine leaders and activists were killed and 13,252 others injured in 2,089 incidents of violence during the period.