Speaking at a protest rally in Kakrail, Ishraq Hossain said, “The Election Commission is a sovereign institution—its decisions must be respected.” Expressing disappointment, he said that even after forming a new party, parts of the group remain aligned with the current regime, preventing a truly neutral government. He accused the government of conspiring to obstruct BNP’s participation in elections and interfering with the judiciary. “Can we expect fair elections under such a regime? Do we want another authoritarian government?” he asked, demanding the resignation of advisers Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan and Mahfuz Alam.