Rizvi Warns: People Won’t Stay Silent If Election Results Are Pre-Planned

Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has issued a stern warning ahead of Bangladesh’s next general election, stating that if the results are manipulated in favor of any particular party or group, the people of the country will not remain silent.

Speaking at an event in Dhaka’s Mirpur on Friday, September 26, Rizvi expressed concern over what he called a "blueprint" to favor certain political forces in the upcoming national polls. The event was organized to pray for the recovery of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and to mark the death anniversary of party advisor Kazi Asaduzzaman Asad.

Rizvi stated,
"After the controversial DUCSU and JUCSU elections, there is growing public concern that the upcoming national election may also be manipulated."

Referring specifically to the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) election, Rizvi acknowledged that while holding the election itself was not controversial, the process through which it was conducted raised serious objections.
He accused the university’s vice-chancellor of failing to ensure equal opportunities for all candidates and questioned the neutrality of the process.

"Why were ballot papers printed in Nilkhet? Was this done to serve the interests of a specific group?" he asked.

Rizvi added that it was the responsibility of the interim government to investigate such serious irregularities and warned that if these trends continue, public suspicion about pre-planned election outcomes in the upcoming national polls would only deepen.

The BNP leader also strongly criticized Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accusing her of burying the concept of free and fair elections to maintain her grip on power.

"In the past, she has tried to install certain parties or individuals through engineered results. If this happens again, it will be a national disaster," Rizvi warned.

BNP Standing Committee member Selima Rahman also spoke at the event, accusing the government of ongoing conspiracies against the BNP. She called on party members and the public to remain united in resisting these efforts.

"Sheikh Hasina has destroyed all state institutions. Now the people are paying the price," she added.