Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Friday alleged that the government is staging a drama and farce in the name of Union Council (UC) polls with the help of the Election Commission.

‘A game is going on in the name of election and it has started since the farcical polls held on January 5, 2014. And the responsibility of the current EC is to approve what the ruling party says and does,’ said BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a discussion, he also said, ‘The CEC had said before the election that he was not getting cooperation from the administration and police. But after the election, he called it as a fair and acceptable election though 22 people were killed in it. In fact, the election was nothing but a drama and farce.’

Fakhrul came up with the remarks while speaking at a discussion arranged by BNP at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh marking the Independence Day.

He said the government has destroyed all democratic institutions through politicisation only to make its political gains. ‘There’s no institution which was not ruined and made dysfunctional. It can’t be expected by anybody. The country’s people had not fought in the Liberation War and sacrificed their lives and blood to see the country’s current situation.’

Coming down hard on the government for what he said its repressive acts, the BNP leader said their party has lost 500 of its leaders and activists in the last seven years while over three hundred were made disappeared. ‘Our many brothers and sisters were maimed and thousands of leaders and activists have been kept in jail. This is the scenario of democracy in Bangladesh. The government is doing all these things as it’s going to reestablish one-party rule.’

Fakhrul alleged that there is no press freedom and freedom of expression as the government has established its control on everything, ‘Cases are being filed against us and we come under attacks if we raise our voice against the government.’

He urged the country’s all political parties and institutions and individuals to get united for the restoration of democracy and people’s rights.

He voiced deep concern over the murder of Sohagi Jahan Tonu in Comilla, ‘Such a situation has been created in the country that killings and enforced disappearances have become daily affairs. We’ve seen children were being killed every day. Now our daughter Tonu was killed in a secure place after rape in Comilla. Comilla has risen against it and the entire Bangladesh will also wake up.’

Fakhrul also urged the women leaders to be vocal and register their strong protest against the incident.