National Citizen Party convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam alleged that the BNP government turned state institutions into “party clubs” within six months of taking power. Speaking at a Monday press conference at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka, he presented what he described as the government’s failures over 180 days.

Nahid said party-aligned vice-chancellors had been appointed at 19 to 20 universities, while party figures were installed as administrators in 11 city corporations and 63 district councils. He alleged that these posts had become rehabilitation centres for candidates denied nominations or defeated in elections. He also said 830 incidents of political violence occurred over six months, alleging BNP was responsible for 670, and said NCP activists were attacked in different areas.

He further accused the government of rejecting the referendum verdict and misleading the public. Nahid cited fuel shortages, record fuel-price increases, a 43 percent gas shortfall, electricity price rises, load-shedding and alleged burdens from ghost bills and capacity charges. He also raised concerns over fertiliser access, bank lending growth, health-sector conditions and attacks on dissenting views in educational institutions.