Eleven Jamaat-e-Islami members of parliament from the Rangpur region have protested remarks made by Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, saying the people of Rangpur have the democratic right to choose which political party they will vote for.

The MPs made the remarks at a press conference held in Rangpur city on Tuesday.

At the press conference, Mahbubur Rahman Belal, MP for Rangpur-3, said Mirza Fakhrul had insulted and criticised the people of Rangpur by suggesting that they were not politically aware.

“Saying that people must vote for a particular party is not consistent with democratic values,” Belal said.

He said voters would cast their ballots according to their own free choice and independent judgment.

“If people are required to vote for a particular party, then where is democracy? That would amount to one-party rule,” Belal added.

The MPs also demanded that Mirza Fakhrul Islam withdraw his remarks.

They said that if everyone voted for the BNP again, there would be no opposition in parliament.

“You know that no government can function in parliament without an opposition. The opposition is necessary; it can be considered a part of the government,” they said at the briefing.

“Making development conditional on voting for the BNP is completely unconstitutional, undemocratic and unreasonable,” Belal added.

At an event held at the Rangpur District Shilpakala Academy on August 9, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir commented on the political choices of the people of Rangpur.

“People of Rangpur, we have always remained backward. Why have we remained backward? We simply don’t understand what is right. When the BNP comes to government, you support the Jatiya Party; when the BNP comes to government, you support Jamaat. So how will it happen? How will you get (development)?” Mirza Fakhrul said.

Those present at Tuesday’s press conference were Rayhan Siraji, MP for Rangpur-1; Mahbubur Rahman (Belal), MP for Rangpur-3; Golam Rabbani, MP for Rangpur-5; Abdus Sattar, MP for Nilphamari-1; Al Faruk Abdul Latif, MP for Nilphamari-2; Obaidullah Salafi, MP for Nilphamari-3; Abdul Muntakim, MP for Nilphamari-4; Majedur Rahman, MP for Gaibandha-1; Abdul Karim, MP for Gaibandha-2; Nazrul Islam, MP for Gaibandha-3; and Abdul Wares, MP for Gaibandha-5.