Senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Nazrul Islam Khan, claimed on Wednesday that the absence of democracy in the nation is the reason why the gap between the rich and the poor is progressively growing.

"If you consider how everyone is developing, democracy is the only option. Since there is no democracy, a lot of people in the nation are currently being crushed by the increase in commodity prices, while a small number of people are purchasing homes valued at crores of Taka, he said.

Speaking at a doa and milad mahfil, the leader of the BNP further claimed that merely 5% of the populace is engaging in corruption and stealing, which is robbing the nation of a substantial chunk of its resources.

Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, said the five percent people are given the scope to amass the ill-gotten money as the government does not need the support of the majority of the people. “As a result, they do not believe in voting.”

He noted, "They would have held free and fair elections, not a one-sided election like the January 7 one, if the votes were required (to form the government)."

The BNP leader called on everyone to band together to ensure the success of the opposition parties' continuous anti-government action, stating that there is no other option but restoring the people's ability to vote to end such a scenario in the nation.

He added that during the Liberation War in 1971, the people of the nation sacrificed their lives and blood to create democracy. "That democracy has been destroyed in Bangladesh and does not exist anymore."

BNP arranged the programme at its Nayapaltan central office, marking the ninth death anniversary of Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and party chairperson Khaleda Zia.

A munajat was offered at the end of the programme, seeking eternal peace for Koko’s departed soul.

He noted, "Free and fair elections, not a one-sided election like January-7, would have been held if the votes were required (to form the government)."

The leader of the BNP said that the only way to end this kind of situation in the nation is to restore the people's right to vote. He also asked everyone to work together to ensure the success of the opposition parties' ongoing anti-government effort.

He claimed that when the nation was freed in 1971 through the Liberation War, its citizens gave their lives and blood to build democracy.
"That democracy has been destroyed and is no longer present in Bangladesh."