Image Credits - Deccan Herald
A day before the nomination deadline for Bangladesh’s January 7 parliamentary election, the country’s major opposition party has officially declared its non-participation, citing alleged irregularities by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Senior Joint Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), conveyed that the party will not engage in the election unless a crucial demand is addressed. The final day for nomination submission is Thursday, November 30.
While the Awami League (AL) party led by Hasina has firmly rejected this possibility, the government has initiated a crackdown on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), imprisoning both high-ranking officials and grassroots members on various charges, ranging from recent to longstanding cases, primarily related to violence and corruption. Many opposition leaders have sought refuge by going into hiding. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General and its primary leader currently not in jail (excluding those in exile), has been residing away from his residence since late October. He has been announcing party initiatives via social media from undisclosed locations. The situation has prompted Human Rights Watch, a global non-profit, to release a strongly-worded statement on Monday, condemning the surge in arrests and urging the “diplomatic partners” of Bangladesh to take action.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the Senior Joint Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and presently its primary leader not in jail (excluding those in exile), has been residing away from his residence since late October. He has been using social media to announce the party’s initiatives from undisclosed locations. As a legal professional, Rizvi has encountered arrest on several occasions during Prime Minister Hasina’s rule since 2008. These incidents occurred in 2012, 2013, and 2022, resulting in extended periods of incarceration.
Following the BNP’s large-scale protest on October 28, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has been implicated in two distinct cases of violence filed at the Fatullah police station in Bangladesh’s Narayanganj district. The legal provisions connected to these cases make it unlikely for him to secure prompt bail.