Golam Parwar urges voters to elect the scales symbol to 'save Thakurgaon', warns of siege if vote is rigged
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Mia Golam Parwar has said that if the BNP candidate is elected member of parliament, Thakurgaon will be emptied out. He urged voters to elect the candidate of the scales symbol in order to save the region.
He made the remarks on Saturday (24 October) at noon as chief guest at an election rally for Jamaat-e-Islami's Thakurgaon-1 candidate, organised by the 11-party unity alliance at the large field of Thakurgaon Government Boys' High School.
Golam Parwar accused the BNP of corruption and partisan favouritism in the distribution of family cards, farmer cards, microloans and allowances and salaries for imams and khatibs. He alleged the BNP gave benefits to its own party people in those schemes.
He said the BNP's days are running out, and that the BNP must be shown a red card through the victory of the scales symbol in Thakurgaon-1. He called on voters to take a stand against extortion and occupation politics and to vote for the scales symbol on the 29th to elect the candidate.
On the history of the Liberation War, Golam Parwar alleged that the BNP is spreading falsehoods about Jamaat-e-Islami over 1971, while claiming that family members of many BNP leaders and activists were themselves involved in wrongdoing at that time.
Criticising the BNP's recent activities, he accused the party of looting and also mocked the behaviour of its leaders and activists.
Expressing fears of irregularities in the election, Golam Parwar said that if there is any manipulation or rigging in the vote, everything from polling centres to the election office will be surrounded. He also warned that any presiding officer who commits irregularities would be tied up with rope.
He further warned that no concession would be given if there is any attempt at rigging or engineering in the election, hinting that, if necessary, a movement could be built centred on the Thakurgaon-1 constituency.
The main thrust of his rally speech was a stance against corruption and partisan favouritism, and readiness to guard polling centres on voting day. His allegations over the distribution of benefits such as family cards and farmer cards have become a talking point among local voters.
With the 29th's vote in Thakurgaon-1 ahead, observers believe tension on the election field may rise further after this rally and its warnings; it remains to be seen how the situation develops up to polling day.
