Voters secretly decided whom they'll vote: Nahid

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam said on Sunday that the people of Bangladesh have already decided in secret whom they will vote for and are set to carry out that 'great act' on Thursday.

In a televised address on Bangladesh Television in the evening, Nahid, also a candidate of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance from Dhaka-11 constituency, said voters have quietly made up their minds in favour of what they consider the better option.

"I believe the people have already secretly decided to vote for a comparatively better side. The intelligent, conscientious and aspirational people of Bangladesh will, God willing, perform this great act in secrecy on Thursday, February 12," Nahid said.

Nahid accused a political party of capturing the state apparatus after the fall of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, alleging that while no party leaders became prime minister or ministers, elements of a 'criminalised party' took control of the entire state machinery., reports UNB.

He alleged that the group used state institutions as tools for extortion, land grabbing, appointments and transfers, promotions, filing false cases, buying and selling verdicts, and widespread corruption, siphoning off huge sums of money. Nahid warned that if such forces return to power, the consequences for the country would be 'terrifying', adding that voters have understood this reality from past experience.

He also pledged to implement 17 commitments if elected, with the first focusing on bringing to justice those involved in enforced disappearances, killings, torture, false cases and attacks during the Awami League regime.

Criticising the interim government's decision to grant magistracy powers to the armed forces, Nahid claimed the move failed due to a lack of interest from senior command. He said that despite the launch of "Operation Devil Hunt," there had been no notable success in identifying criminals, recovering weapons or making arrests.

Nahid further promised to recover money looted from banks and development projects during the previous government and to prosecute those involved in money laundering. "Our goal is very clear- to end the culture of bribery, corruption and plunder of state resources, establish justice by eliminating economic inequality, and return the nation's wealth to the people."

On foreign policy, Nahid said the 11-party alliance would bring a fundamental shift, moving away from what he described as a subservient approach towards an independent and balanced global stance.

He alleged that the previous government's foreign policy was dictated by India, turning Bangladesh into a 'puppet state' and undermining national interests.

Nahid also outlined plans to restructure the armed forces, noting that nearly 70 percent of the defence budget currently goes to salaries and allowances, which he termed unsustainable.

To strengthen national defence, Nahid proposed compulsory military training for all able citizens aged over 18 to build a people-based defence system.

Nahid vowed sweeping reforms in the police force, promising prosecution of officers involved in killings, torture, false cases, corruption and extortion over the past 15 years.

He said the police would be restructured at the local government level, with recruitment and posting at the upazila level, ensuring equal numbers of men and women.

He also proposed renaming the police force to 'Janosebak Bahini' (People's Service Force) or a similar name.

Calling for a complete overhaul of the judiciary, Nahid stressed the need to appoint competent and impartial judges at all levels, increase the number of judges, fully digitise the justice system, and dismantle what he described as a bribery-based culture of verdict trading.

Nahid concluded his address by seeking votes for the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, pledging decentralisation of power, reduction of commodity prices, prevention of adulteration, gender equality, protection of minority rights and improvements in healthcare and medical services.