Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain has urged people to bring about a "vote revolution" by exercising franchise, and said December 30 will be another victory day for the nation with the Oikyafront coming out victorious.

"We won in the past, and we will win this time too. December 30 will be another victory day. You will bring about a vote revolution on that day," he said at a press conference yesterday.

The eminent jurist made the call after attending an emergency meeting of the steering committee of the opposition alliance at his chamber in the capital's Purana Paltan.

Calling upon the voters to cast ballots for “sheaf of paddy”, he said, “The symbol does not belong to any party. It stands as a symbol of unity. Cast your votes for this symbol to free the nation.”

He further said the Oikyafront's win in the polls will be a victory for the people, not for any component of the alliance.

"People's ownership of the country will be restored through the vote revolution.”

The people of this country never bowed down to arms, money and power, he said.

"There is nothing to fear. We fought autocrats throughout our life, and we won, not the autocrats. Had the autocrats won, there would have been no '71 and no Bangladesh," observed Dr Kamal, also president of the Gonoforum.

Urging the voters to go to polling centres in groups early in the morning, he said, "You will be able to enjoy freedom if you cast ballots for sheaf of paddy." 

If the Oikyafront is voted to power, the administration would work for the people, instead of protecting the interests of any party, he pledged.

Speaking at the press conference, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “The government has already suffered a moral defeat as it is trying to ensure victory by using the state machinery.”

Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddiqui, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury, and Gonoforum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury, among others, were present at the press conference.

Earlier in a written statement to the media, the Oikyafront convener said the election was just two days away, but the level playing field was still absent.

The people expected that the situation would change following deployment of the army, Dr Kamal mentioned.

"But the army's role in the election is totally controlled by the Election Commission," he said, adding that it is difficult to expect an effective role of the army in a "controlled election".

"Yet, we hope the people, who are the owner of the country, will be able to exercise the right to vote in a peaceful environment. The Election Commission has to ensure that."

Otherwise, the EC will have to take full responsibility for all its failures and will be held accountable to the people, warned Dr Kamal.

He further said it seems that the public and the police administration as well as the state machinery unilaterally got engaged in destroying effective democracy in the country by taking the chance of "the EC's bias".

"We should not forget that destroying democracy is tantamount to denying Bangladesh's existence and the constitution."

The Oikyafront convener said there is a “tide of the masses” in favour of “sheaf of paddy” despite numerous obstructions, arrests, attacks, filing of cases, arson, bombing, biased behaviour of the administration, inactiveness of the EC, ghost cases and intimidation.

"Today, the people and the voters are the Oikyafront's main hope. Those, who did not make mistakes in the past, will not make mistakes this time as well."

The people consider voting as a festival, but they were deprived of it after the ninth parliamentary polls, he said.

"We hope that the people, who are now united, will thwart any anti-people blueprint of the government and the Election Commission."

He urged the people to vote for their preferred candidates to ensure their ownership of the country and restore democracy.

"The country achieved independence in 1971 because the people were united. If the people remain united, effective democracy and the rule of law will soon be ensured," he remarked.

BNP-led 20-party alliance has appealed to President Abdul Hamid to appoint a neutral person as the chief election commissioner ahead of the upcoming December 30 general election.

The alliance made the appeal after a meeting at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan political office around 12:15pm.

“The incumbent CEC has not taken any steps even after he was informed about specific instances of attacks and intimidation on the opposition men by the ruling quarter ahead of the polls,” BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said at a briefing after the meeting.

“Even, the CEC has spoken in favour of the attackers,” he alleged. Under such circumstances, it is necessary to replace him with a neutral person for the sake of holding a fair election, the BNP leader added.

The 20-party leaders also called upon the army to take necessary steps to ensure a free and fair election.

Claiming that there is no level playing field in the country at this moment, Nazrul Islam said, “the government and Election Commission had assured us of a fair election, but there is no visible sign of keeping their word”.

“We have noticed how Goyeshwar (BNP Dhaka-3 candidate Goyeshwar Chandra Roy) came under attack and how detectives detained Jhenidah-3 candidate and his wife despite all the assurances of level playing field,” he said.

Bringing allegation that the ruling quarter is not allowing the country’s democracy to move in its own course, the alliance leaders said alleged that the victims become the culprits while the attackers become innocent under the government tenure.

Awarded freedom fighters are also being attacked at different parts of the country, they also alleged.

Awami League acts only for the sake of the party, not in favour of the spirit of Liberation War, they added.

Chief Election Commi-ssioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda yesterday said the December 30 national election was recognised as successful by world leaders. 

“No country or international organisation made any negative comment over the polls. It is our victory,” CEC claimed in a post polls views-exchange meeting with the commission's top officials at the EC secretariat in Dhaka.

The CEC also praised EC officials including Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed for his role in holding the 11th parliamentary election.

“The message that Bangladesh held a free and fair election has reached every nook and corner of the world and no one has rejected the polls,” CEC claimed.

During the meeting, CEC also called upon all the officials of the commission to prepare for the upcoming upazila election.

Bangladesh Bank has suspended all kind of mobile-based financial services (MFS) for temporary basis ahead of the December 30 national election.

All MFS providers have been asked to keep mobile-based financial services suspended from 5:00pm on December 28 to 5:00pm on December 30, the central bank said in a circular today.

However, MFS can allow the individual transaction through mobile account at limited scale up to Tk 5,000 from 5:00pm on December 29 to 5:00pm on December 30, according to the circular.

The decision was taken following the instruction given by the Election Commission, said the circular.