The Awami League-led Grand Alliance government is afraid of the movement organised by the Opposition and that it is why it has imposed an embargo on political activities, including rallies and public meetings, in violation of constitutional rights, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) spokesperson Shamsuzzaman Dudu said on Tuesday afternoon. “The government has violated the Constitution, depriving the Opposition parties of their democratic rights to hold rallies and public meetings in protest against the government’s misdeeds,” Dudu said.
“The BNP is a large political party and respectful of the democratic and constitutional norms and values. But there is no room for us to show respect to the government’s unconstitutional acts, including its embargo on our political activities,” he added.
Dudu, who is also an adviser to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, was addressing a press briefing held at the party’s Naya Paltan central office in the capital on Tuesday afternoon.
He accused the government of imposing an undeclared state of emergency and said almost all political party offices in the country have been put under lock and key as a result of the ban imposed by the government.
He urged the government to withdraw its embargo on political activities of the Opposition parties, paving the path for their democratic rights to hold rallies, public meetings and street demonstrations to protest against the ruling party’s corruption and misdeeds.
A milad mehfil was scheduled seeking the quick recovery from illness of the party’s acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who is undergoing treatment in Singapore, he added. But the government has foiled the programme without issuing any prior notice to the party office, he alleged.
The government’s repressive acts will be in vain in the face of the relentless, undaunted movement. At one stage, the ruling Awami League will be forced to meet the demand for restoration of the non-party caretaker government (CG) provision to the Constitution, he said.
In a separate programme, BNP standing committee member Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain said his party is being deprived of democratic rights as a result of the restrictions imposed by the government on political activities.
The ruling Awami League is afraid of the Opposition party and so has imposed restrictions on its political activities in a bid to root out Opposition party politics from the country, he alleged.
“We don’t care for such an embargo imposed by the government. Our antigovernment activities and political strength will not be daunted. Rather we will force the government to meet our demands, including that for a CG, in the face of our movement,” he warned.
Reiterating his party’s stand over the CG issue, he said at least 90 per cent of the people wanted the next general elections to be held under a non-party CG management. The BNP wants the same thing as there is no instance in the world that general polls are held under the supervision of the outgoing Cabinet, he added.
He was addressing a discussion meeting seeking unconditional release of the party’s detained leader Barkat Ullah Bulu, MP, at the National Press Club on Tuesday. Mosharraf criticised the government for keeping Barkat Ullah Bulu, MP, behind bars as the upcoming budget session of the 9th Parliament is scheduled for June 3.
-With The Independent input
