Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organizer (South) of the NCP, addressed an election rally organized by the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance at Phultala Upazila in Khulna this afternoon. Photo: BSS

KHULNA, Feb 7, 2026 (BSS) - Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (South) of the 
National Citizen Party (NCP), has called for unity among the public here 
while campaigning for the upcoming national polls to build a corruption-free 
and manipulation-free Bangladesh. 

He cautioned that if another manipulated election is held, the resulting 
public uprising would be uncontrollable. "When people wake up, they cannot be 
stopped by bullets, cannons or foreign powers," he said.

He urged law enforcement officials to come down to the side of the people in 
the February 12 election, assuring that the people would ensure their 
security.

He also alleged that many journalists are unable to publish reports of their 
choice due to interference by what he termed "broker-owned media houses.

"Many journalists come to us and share their pain and frustration. They want 
to publish certain news, but their broker owners do not allow them to do so," 
he said while addressing an election rally organised by the Jamaat-led 11-
party alliance at Phultala upazila in Khulna this afternoon.

The meeting was also addressed, among others, by Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary 
General and Khulna-5 constituency candidate Mia Golam Parwar.

Hasnat Abdullah claimed that after August 5, when they formed the government 
and ensured security of temples and mosques by standing beside minority 
communities, a group allegedly took control of television channels and state 
institutions. 

He said only a few media outlets spoke for the people during the July 
movement. "When people rise, no media is needed. The people themselves become 
the media," he added.

Addressing media owners, Hasnat said when a media outlet promotes a 
particular political party through its news coverage, it loses its 
credibility and turns into an instrument of brokerage and servitude. "Media 
should not be BNP's media, Jamaat's media or NCP's media. Media must be 
objective," he said.

He recalled that during the July movement, some television channels failed to 
perform journalism freely and were rejected by the people when they appeared 
with cameras.
Referring to past struggles, Hasnat Abdullah said thousands of people were 
martyred and many were subjected to enforced disappearances to achieve the 
present election.
 
"Those who could not be arrested lived in an open prison across the country," 
he said, alleging widespread repression.

He also accused law enforcement and administration of conducting previous 
elections in an irregular manner, including holding day-time votes at night 
and staging "dummy elections". He said district and police officials were 
witnesses to those anti-people activities.

Expressing hope for change, Hasnat urged police personnel to stand with the 
people in the upcoming February 12 Polls.