Thakurgaon: BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said Jatiya Oikya Front, led by Dr Kamal Hossain, has been formed to ‘restore’ democracy and people’s voting rights.

‘No democratic space is now left in the country as it has been squeezed gradually. Jatiya Oikya Front has been constituted to restore democracy and people’s voting rights,’ he said.

Fakhrul came up with the comment while exchanging views with local BNP leaders and activists at his residence in the district town, reports the UNB.

He said their party thinks a participatory, credible and acceptable election is necessary in the country to ensure functional democracy and strengthen the democratic institutions.

Fakhrul said they are hopeful that the entire nation will get united under the Jatiya Oikya Front platform to realise their all justified demands, including holding the next polls in a fair and credible manner.

He renewed the Oikya Front’s seven-point demand, including dissolution of parliament, formation of an election-time neutral government, reconstitution of the Election Commission, deployment of army and cancellation of the move to use EVMs for holding a fair and acceptable general election.

The BNP leader urged their party leaders and activists to get ready for a movement to free Khaleda Zia and other arrested party leaders and activists from jail and ensure their all democratic rights.

Earlier, Fakhrul visited different puja mandaps under the Sadar upazila and exchange greetings with Hindu devotees on the occasion of Durga Puja.