Voters reject Jamaat-BNP terror by exercising voting rights

BNP-Jamaat and their allies suddenly called for a strike on Friday (January 5) the day before and on the day of the election. Along with that, four people were burnt to death on a moving train. At the same time, from the night of January 4, they attacked the polling centres preparing for the elections and the campaign camps of the candidates. In the 24 hours before the elections, 21 polling stations in 14 districts were set on fire in addition to torching four buildings, two business establishments, and 11 vehicles. People concerned think these sabotages were carried out by the BNP-Jamaat so that ordinary voters do not come to polling stations in fear.

But ignoring this fear made by the BNP, more than 40 percent of people cast their votes. Over 30 polling stations and candidate campaign camps were set on fire in the last three days. However, the worst impact on the public mind is the fire incident on the train. A video circulating on social media shows a burning man's last-minute plea for life. Apart from this, the announcement of a strike by BNP-Jamaat as a threat to refrain ordinary people from voting directly created panic in the public mind.

On the day before the voting, this was the main concern and topic of discussion for the ordinary voters in several places of the capital.
A voter in Suhrawardy Udyan expressed fear of BNP-Jamaat's sudden attack and said, ‘You should go to the polling station!’
‘But if I am not there, then who will look after my family?’

Another voter said, ‘BNP made a mistake by not coming to the election. Now it has made another mistake by enforcing a strike again on Election Day.' He added, ‘It is my right to go or not to go to the election centres. But will I take my family if they threaten us?’

Ekram, a leader of BNP’s youth front Jubo Dal, has directly confessed his involvement in the train fire incident in the capital.

After his confession, it became more clear that the BNP-Jamaat was preparing to carry out some violence on election day. On the eve of the election, the party continued its intimidation by burning and exploding crude bombs at several places.
Drishti Aktar, a voter in the Manikganj-2 constituency is a housewife and came to cast her vote for the first time. Apart from expressing her excitement with the vote, she also expressed her apprehensions. She said, ‘I was not sure whether I would come to vote, whether the environment would be good or worse. But now it feels good to be here. There was no problem in voting.’

Although this female voter overcame her fear and appeared, many of the ordinary voters said that they were not interested in coming to the polling stations to avoid violence.

Amid this violence and bloodshed of BNP-Jamaat, 40 percent of the country's voters came to the polling stations across the country. They said that it is their right and duty to vote as a citizen. That's why they went to cast their votes.

Particularly the presence of young voters was remarkable. Overcoming obstacles and fear of violence, most of the voters expressed their disinterest in BNP-Jamaat for their violence and the non-cooperation movement.

Meanwhile, foreign observers have expressed satisfaction with the election. They said that the voter turnout was low but the vote was fair and impartial. Along with this, they expressed their satisfaction by discussing with the voters. They expressed satisfaction saying that the voters were not pressured by any candidate or party and they were able to vote as they wished.