Dhaka, Feb 12 (IANS) Radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Shafiqur Rahman on Thursday voiced optimism that his party would secure power through the mandate of the voters in the high-stakes Bangladeshi national elections, local media reported.
Addressing reporters in Dhaka, Rahman made the comments after casting his vote at the Monipur High School and College polling centre on Thursday morning.
“If the voting is held in a free and fair manner, we will accept the results. Others should also accept the verdict of the people,” Bangladesh’s leading newspaper, The Daily Star, quoted Rahman as saying.
“We pray that this election is peaceful, fair, free from violence and occupation, and acceptable to all. Through this vote, we hope a government will be formed that does not belong to any individual, family, or party, but to the 180 million people of this country. We are hopeful about forming such a government,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami and its leader, Shafiqur Rahman, have been accused of using religion and financial incentives to attract voters in a bid to form the country’s first Islamist-led government.
According to a report in NDTV, the Jamaat coalition has distributed pamphlets across the country offering Bangladeshi taka 15,000 to voters backing the party.
The document states that for families who vote for the party, their afterlife will be “free of sin”, and they will gain “salvation from grave punishment”.
The pamphlet, accessed by NDTV, asked voters to bring a camera phone to the polling booths and take photographs of their stamped ballot papers as proof of voting for Shafiqur Rahman.
“You must fulfil the promise of having all family members vote for the “Dari Palla” (weighing scale) symbol. This promise will make your afterlife free of sin and grant salvation from grave punishment. You must go to the centre early on election day and must bring a camera phone so that you can take a photo after stamping the ballot as proof,” read the document.
The party said that the promised 15,000 taka will be sent to the voters through bKash or cash after the election results are announced, adding that voters were also promised some advanced payment through bKash.
–IANS
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