DHAKA, Feb 15, 2023 (BSS) - Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said February 15 is a stigmatized day in the history of Bangladesh as BNP had set an example of farcical voter-less elections on that day in 1996.

"Actually BNP, which is a symbol of autocracy and an evil force of creating impediment on the path of democratic progression, pushed the country's election system and democracy in darkness by staging a farce in the name of elections on that day in 1996," he said in a statement.

Quader said BNP held the farcical and voter-less elections with a view to sustaining its autocratic one-party ruling.

BNP had arranged the elections along with Freedom Party, which is a party of killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he mentioned.

He said BNP leader Khaleda Zia brought killer Faruk in the place of leader of the opposition in parliament.

Khaleda Zia's BNP took lives of 150 innocent people in holding the elections but the democracy loving people had boycotted the polls with hate, he said.

As a result the elections of February 15 had lost acceptance at home and abroad, he said.

The AL general secretary said 'Janatar Manch' was formed at the reflection of combined agitation of people of all strata.

Pro-people party, Awami League as the lighthouse of democratic spirit of the entire countrymen had led the movement, he said.

Amid the fury of people and mass-upsurge, BNP government had fallen on March 30 and people victory was achieved at the leadership of Sheikh Hasina and the people regained its right to vote, he said.

Awami League won free, fair elections of June 12, 1996 with absolute majority, he said, adding that through the elections, Awami League got the responsibility of running the government after 21 years.