Barrister Rumin Farhana, Assistant International Affairs Secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has alleged that the interim government is encouraging “mobs” or the public with the intention of delaying the elections. She made this remark recently during a talk show on a private television channel.
Barrister Rumin Farhana stated that those who are creating mobs or trying to benefit from them are receiving encouragement from the government. According to her, this situation is being created with the aim of postponing the elections for as long as possible.
Referring to incidents such as attacks on establishments linked to the Awami League and the vandalism of shrines, she noted that “we have arrived at a time when the Chief Adviser himself said that students appointed him and he would leave any day they wished.” Rumin Farhana believes that through this, the Chief Adviser implicitly encouraged this mob, even if he did not say so directly, his actions and behavior conveyed it.
The BNP leader further added that the vandalism of ’32 Number’ (referring to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house at Dhanmondi 32) and the subsequent declaration of a ban on the Awami League are not isolated incidents. In her view, these events have a specific pattern and message. She cited the Jamaat-e-Islami Amir’s statement, “Elections cannot be held with this law and order situation,” as part of this message.
She emphasized that several political parties and a large segment of the government wish to postpone the elections for as long as possible. Rumin Farhana questioned, “If such instability and mob rule continue, how can I guarantee that my votes will be cast correctly in my ballot box?”
The former BNP Member of Parliament also commented that for all active political parties except the BNP, the longer the elections are delayed, the better. Therefore, she believes that such a situation is being created very calmly and systematically, solely for the purpose of delaying the elections.
