Ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance leader and Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon today testified that people couldn’t cast their votes in the December 30 parliamentary election.

“Although I was elected in the election [December 30 parliamentary election], I testify that people couldn’t cast vote in the December 30 national election even in the union parishad and upazila elections,” Menon said.

He was addressing an inaugural session of Barishal district unit Workers Party conference in Barishal city this afternoon.  

Pointing at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Menon said: “Why people couldn’t vote in union parishad, upazila parishad, district and in the Jatiya Sangsad elections when you--Sheikh Hasina and me waged a movement jointly demanding void of fake voter list containing 1.10 crore false voters during Aziz commission [former CEC MA Aziz]?”

Coming down heavily on the government, Menon, also a former Social Welfare minister, said development does not necessarily mean snatching of democracy, squeezing of dissenting opinion.

The Workers Party chief, who was seen raising his voice against the government on different issues in and outside the parliament, also said development does not mean snatching of freedom of expression and shrinking of democratic space.

Pointing to recent drive against illegal casino business, Menon said although the government is arresting owners of casino and corrupt persons, key spots of corruption are still untouched.

“When will those persons be tried? When will they face punishment? When their wealth and properties will be confiscated?” asked Menon.

Presided over by Nazrul Haq Nilu, president of Barishal district unit Workers Party, the party’s central and local leaders also spoke at the programme.