Sarjis Alam, the northern regional organizer of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said that the concept of predetermined political heavyweights will no longer hold in Bangladesh. Speaking on January 25 during public meetings and door-to-door campaigns in various areas of Panchagarh’s Amarkhana Union, he predicted a landslide fall of so-called heavyweight leaders from major political parties in the February 12 election.

He stated that a wave of change has reached every household and that people are ready to vote against oppression, extortion, land grabbing, threats, abuse of power, and corruption. Sarjis also alleged that some local leaders and activists of the BNP were threatening voters, including a Jamaat worker, warning them not to vote for the 11-party alliance. He warned that those who try to intimidate voters would face a downfall worse than that of Sheikh Hasina.

Sarjis urged that citizens be allowed to vote freely, saying that the people of Bangladesh are no longer in the same position as before.