The BNP-led 18-party alliance has issued an ultimatum to the government to accept the opposition’s demand for election under a non-party poll-time administration— within 5pm on Thursday—failing which, it would go for a fresh spell of harsher movements. In the ultimatum, the Election Commission has also been asked to postpone the schedule for the 10th parliamentary poll within the timeframe.
BNP spokesperson Salauddin Ahmed sent the ultimatum in a voice mail to different media outlets on the fifth day of the countrywide blockade programme on Wednesday. “We’ll be forced to go for a harsher movement if our demand is not met by 5pm on Thursday,” he said.
Addressing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Salauddin, also joint secretary general of the party, said, “There is still enough time. You (PM) should oblige in the greater interest of the country and its people.”
Terming the upcoming general election as stage-managed, the BNP leader urged the Prime Minister to immediately take effective measures to postpone the schedule for the 10th parliamentary poll which was announced on November 27. “Please accept our demand for election under a non-party poll-time management. Then, the people will ensure your (Hasina) safe exit from power,” he said.
The 18-party alliance on Friday enforced a 72-hour blockade programme from Saturday 6am, demanding election under a non-party management and postponement of the 10th parliamentary poll schedule. Later, the programme was extended by 59 hours. It will now end at 5pm on Thursday.
The countrywide blockade programme was called in protest of the government’s acts of repression on opposition partymen, including filing of false and politically motivated cases against them.
In a separate press statement, Salauddin Ahmed accused the government of following “scorched earth policy” to hang on to power through “illegal” means.
The Prime Minister is claiming that the country’s prevailing atmosphere is congenial to hold the general election in a free and fair manner. At the same time, her key political partner HM Ershad has asked his party men to boycott the poll, alleging that the administration is partisan, he said. The “evil” plan of the Awami League to hold a stage-managed election has been foiled by Ershad’s announcement. The government is on the verge of collapsing, Salauddin said. Describing the government as fascist, he said the government has taken away people’s right to speak freely. At the same time, it has curbed freedom of the media in many ways, he alleged.
“The Awami League will be held responsible if democracy is destroyed due to its misdeeds and mismanagement,” he warned.
Calling upon the party’s rank and file and people from all sections to hit the streets, Salauddin said: “We will put up an all-out resistance by continuing the movement so that the government will not be able to hold a lopsided poll under its own management.”
The BNP leader blamed the government for resorting to violence in which at least two blockaders were killed and 700 critically injured across the country on the fifth day of the week-long countrywide blockade on Wednesday.
The police arrested at least 267 blockaders from different parts of the country and filed cases implicating around 2,700 leaders and activists of the 18-party alliance, he said. Claiming that the Opposition’s movement was successful, he said people from all walks of life are on the streets and the government is desperate to subdue it political opponents. He expressed grave concern over the fresh remand of Mahmudur Rahman, acting editor of the daily, Amar Desh, and said he was taken to a secret place from Kashimpur jail on Wednesday.
“We want to know the whereabouts of Rahman,” he said, and demanded release of all detained leaders and withdrawal of cases filed against them on false and baseless charges.
-With The Independent input
