BNP Chairperson’s adviser Zainul Abedin Faruk has declared that the people alone are the ultimate power and they will cast their votes in daylight—not in the dark of night.Speaking at a rally in front of the National Press Club on Thursday (September 4), organized by Ganatantra Forum protesting “conspiracies to foil the upcoming February parliamentary elections,” Faruk said that under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule, democracy, press freedom, and people’s rights have been trampled.He added that the Supreme Court’s decision to acquit BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman of all false cases was “a major step toward the restoration of democracy.”Ganatantra Forum president VP Ibrahim told the rally, “We have united to drive away fascism. Now we demand a free and fair election.”

Forum’s secretary, Barrister Obaidur Rahman Tipu, alleged that a secret organization played a role in bringing the Awami League to power in 1996. “That same force is again conspiring to derail the election roadmap,” he said, adding, “For 17 years, I could not cast my vote. There is no alternative to elections if democracy is to be restored.”

BNP joint secretary general Abdus Salam Azad warned that conspiracies are underway in the name of proportional representation (PR) voting, but vowed that such attempts would not be allowed to succeed.

Speakers at the rally also condemned the recent attack on Gana Adhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur, calling it an “attempted murder.”

They emphasized that the next election must be held under a constitutional interim government and warned, “There will be no more midnight voting.”

Among others, BNP leaders including Weavers’ Affairs Committee joint convener Kazi Monir, Fishermen’s Wing member Ismail Siraji, and Magura-2 BNP nomination aspirant Riaz Uddin Ahmed were present.