The BNP acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has accused the government of staging a drama, in the name of starting a fruitful dialogue with the opposition, over poll-time management. He said the government is trying to implement its own design, ahead of the next general election. “The Awami League is playing a game, in the name of starting fresh talks with the opposition over the poll-time management. It’s not eager to sit across the table. The government will be held responsible, if any untoward incident takes place because of the government’s stand,” he warned.
Alamgir, also the opposition spokesperson, was addressing a press conference, held at the party’s Naya Paltan central office in the capital, on the last day of the 60-hour non-stop nationwide hartal, on Tuesday afternoon. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, on Friday, announced the general strike, saying that the next general election should be held under the supervision of a non-party caretaker government (CG).
Alamgir blamed the government for the widespread violence across the country, during the 60-hour hartal. He said the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance would bring out rallies, in every part of the country, on Thursday, in protest against the government’s atrocities. A rally will be held in front of the party’s Naya Paltan central office, at about 3:30 pm, on that day, he added. “We’ve already asked for permission to hold the rally. We hope that the permission will be given, on democratic grounds,” he said.
Alamgir said a Gayabana namaj-e-janaza, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of those who were killed by the government for launching democratic movements, will be held in front of the party’s Naya Paltan central office on November 1, after Jummah prayers. The BNP leader accused the government of forcefully annulling the non-party CG provision from the Constitution. The government wants to cling on to power by holding a unilateral general poll, he alleged.
-With The Independent input
