The BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Wednesday warned the government of dangerous consequences if it would stop her joining the ‘march for democracy’ towards Dhaka on December 29.
“If the government has the courage, it will not obstruct the programme and stop me from joining the programme. Any such obstructions will prove that the government is weak, frightened and has no support of people,’ she said at a programme in her office at Gulshan about 8:45pm on Wednesday.
Khaleda said that the government would ‘possibly besiege her’ or would not allow the opposition to hold the programme.
She gave a warning that consequences of any such obstruction would be ‘very dangerous.’ She urged party leaders and activists and supporters to get ready to face any situation.
Khaleda exchanged greetings the members of the Christian community in the programme on the occasion of Christmas Day in her office.
She said that law enforcers had been deployed in front of her house and office at Gulshan since early Wednesday after the announcement of the ‘march for democracy’ towards Dhaka on Tuesday.
She also said that some senior leaders of her party, including standing committee member RA Gani, was not allowed to enter her office to attend the programme and he was picked up by the police from in front of her office Wednesday night.
Khaleda said that the ‘march for democracy march’ would be peaceful and would end peacefully and no clash would take place.
Referring to the government, she said that there was still time to hold the 10th parliamentary elections with the participation of all political parties and asked the government to begin discussions suspending the schedule of the January 5 elections.
She urged the government to summon the parliament into session to amend the constitution to hold the elections under a non-party government if it wanted betterment of the country.
Khaleda said that the Awami League’s desire to cling to power by holding unilateral elections would not be materialised. She said that the AL-led government must quit.
She told members of the Christian community that the opposition had ended its blockade on 5:00pm Tuesday and did not enforce any programme on Wednesday in view of Christmas.
Khaleda, flanked by Christian community leaders, cut a cake on the occasion.
Members of the Christian community joined the programme under the banner of the Bangladesh Christian Association where the association president, Albert P Costa ,and John Gomez and Albert Rojario also spoke.
Khaleda urged members of the Christian community not to go to polling centres on January 5 as ‘there is no need to go to polling centres.’
She blamed the government for the arson attack on a police bus on Tuesday that killed one police constable.
She criticised the government for implicating BNP leaders in the ‘false case of arson attack on the bus.’
-With New Age input
