BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Friday threatened to enforce a 60-hour countrywide shutdown from Sunday unless the government takes initiative for discussion on polls-time caretaker administration as the countdown began for holding the parliamentary polls by January 24. Addressing a rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan, Khaleda, also the leader of the 18-party opposition alliance, gave the Awami League–led government two days time for initiating talks on non-party government issue to end the current political impasse.
She also warned of a tougher programme if the demand for caretaker government is not met by the deadline. The movement and efforts for discussion on the issue will go simultaneously, she added.
“There is hardly any time left. So, the movement and discussion will continue concurrently,” she categorically said.
“Act quickly, otherwise, the road for discussion will also be blocked,” she said urging the government to place a bill in parliament immediately for the restoration of the caretaker government system. Such a poll-time government can be formed with some minor amendments to the constitution, she observed.
Khaleda also called upon the employees of law enforcing agencies and civil administration not to obey the government orders from October 27 as the present government will lose its legitimacy by the time.
The BNP chief also called upon the cross section of people irrespective of age and gender to take to the streets aiming to remove the government from power.
Rejecting the Prime Minister Sheikh Hsiana’s formula of forming an all-party poll-time government, Khaleda Zia termed it very old and asked the government to implement her formula. “Our demand is caretaker government as no election will be held under Hasina.”
Thousands of enthusiastic people joined the rally at the heart of the city braving an afternoon drizzle. Political activists belonging to the 18-party alliance joined the rally in processions defying restriction. They also chanted anti-government slogans.
The BNP chief also called upon the people of all walks of life to take to streets aiming to oust the government from power.
The BNP chief also blasted the government, for what she claims, arresting many opposition leaders and keeping them in jail without trial. The opposition leader also urged the Election Commission not to go for further amendment to the Representation of People Order (RPO). “I want to tell the Election Commission that no election would be held without participation of all political parties.”
The 18-party alliance chief alleged that the Awami League president was conducting election campaigns using government helicopters. “Even deputy commissioners are also seeking vote for boat,” she said showing a newspaper report. “The government has already started ignoring the voting right of the people,” she pointed out.
Khaleda also alleged that the government created various obstacles to thwart the rally by putting blockades at different places on way to Dhaka and by imposing section 144 in the capital.
She also accused the government of killing and forced disappearances of political leaders like Ilias Ali and Chowdhury Alam. She said the president of Islami Chatra Shibir, Delwar Hossain, and former student leader Nasirudin Ahmed Pintu became handicapped following torture by law enforcing agencies.
“The AL-led government is destroying the country with a planned way,” she said adding that the public sector banks and financial institutions have become bankrupt following widespread corruption.
“For choking the voice of the opposition political parties the government also shut down the office of Bangladesh Jammat-e-Islami, a key ally in the 18-party combine.” BNP Dhaka city unit chief and former mayor of Dhaka City Corporation Sadeque Hossain Khoka presided over the meeting, which was also addressed by chiefs of alliance partners and senior leaders of BNP.
BNP?acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the present government took position against the people.
Referring to imposition of section 144 in different places to prevent the opposition to hold rallies, he said the people in many places took to the streets violating the section 144.
Fakhrul said the government has lost its moral rights to remain in power and it has to quit.
BNP leader Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the government would be compelled to accept the opposition demand to restore the non-party caretaker government as it was compelled to give permission to hold the rally.
Jamaat-e-Islami acting ameer Maualna Maqbul Ahmed alleged that the government deceived the people by cancelling the caretaker government system overlooking the court observation that two general elections could be held under caretaker government.
He termed the ruling Awami League as a communal party saying that they only withdrew the cases against their own people but not others.
The Jamaat leader said the movement would not stop even the government eliminate top leaders through exerting political vengeance.
President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said the prime minister amended the constitution to protect herself and her power while BNP founder and late President Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia amended it for the sake of multi-party democracy.
He suggested Sheikh Hasina to determine as to how she would leave the power as what he said her departure is imminent.
Chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Barrister Andalib Rahman Partha, MP, said the bell for departure of the present government has started ringing.
He said the ruling Awami League will be shocked for four reasons—formation of non-party government, the return of Tarique Rahman, swearing of Khaleda Zia as the next prime minister and the trail of May 5 attacks on Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Square. Chairman of Islami Oikya Jote Maulana Abdul Latif Nezami said the prevailing situation in the country proved that no election could be held under the AL government.
Terming the AL government anti-Islamic, he said the government has been carrying out anti-Islamic activities.
Khoka called upon the law enforcers not to work for the ruling party.
The rally was also addressed, among others, by BNP leaders—ASM Hannan Shah, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah, Mirza Abbas, Dr Abdul Moin Khan, Shah Moazzem Hossain, Selima Rahman, Gazipur Mayor Prof MA Mannan, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Barkatullah Bhulu and Aman Ullah Aman, Jamaat leaders—Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Aminul Islam, Maulana Syed Mojibur Rahman and Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury, Kallayan Party chief Maj Gen (Retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim, Birprotik, Jagpa president Shafiul Alam Prodhan, NPP chief Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu, NDP leader Golam Mortuza, Juba Dal leader Moazzem Hossain Alal, Chhatra Dal president Abdul Quader Jwel and Chhatra Shibir leader Abdul Jabbar.
-With The Independent input
