Bangladesh’s election will be a “sham” designed to cement Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule, says exiled opposition leader Tarique Rahman, defending his party’s boycott of Sunday’s vote.
In his interview with AFP news agency published on Thursday, Rahman said,” participating in an election under Hasina, against the aspirations of Bangladeshi people, would undermine the sacrifices of those who fought, shed blood and gave their life for democracy”.
Who is Bangladesh’s Tarique Rahman?
Rahman is the son of two-time Prime Minister Khaleda Zia; she has been jailed since 2018. His party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is the largest opposition party in Bangladesh. His father Ziaur Rahman was the 7th President of Bangladesh, he comes from one of the most influential families in Bangladesh.
He was active in politics since childhood and rose to prominence in BNP during his mother’s tenure as Prime Minister of Bangladesh in the 2000s. He is the chairman of BNP since 2018. His political career is a mix of success and controversy.
In 2008 when his mother PM Khaleda Zia lost the election and BNP was replaced by the Awami League government. Tarique went into exile due to safety reasons since then he has been living in London. He is active in Bangladesh politics from London, as he is physically absent from his country Bangladesh.
What are the Allegations against Tarique Rahman?
Rahman and his business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun face money laundering casing, In June 2007 a money laundering case was filed against them by Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Corruption.
Various allegations of corruption and nepotism are on him, he is seen as the main political enemy of Sheikh Hasina.
Rahman was given a life sentence on October 10, 2018, in connection with the 2004 grenade attack in Dhaka. Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the Awami League, accused him of being the attack’s mastermind. But BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir refuted the charge.
Sheikh Hasina is Facing backlash
Sheikh Hasina is facing backlash from the opposition. The elections are scheduled to be held on January 7th in Bangladesh. The opposition is boycotting Prime Minister Hasina, alleging that she is not following democratic practices to contest the election and accusing her of oppressing the opposition.
Earlier January 1, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sentenced to a month in prison in a labour law case. He was also considered as the main opponent to Hasina and the opposition opposed her.
High-voltage political drama is going on in Bangladesh, and this statement by Mr. Rahman created controversy.
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