A senior BNP leader on Monday warned that the government will meet a tragic end if it failed to form a non-partisan administration to monitor the next general election.
“Time is very short for the government as the fate of the country’s democracy and sovereignty will be decided within a few weeks. I urge Premier Sheikh Hasina to refrain from meeting a tragic end by holding the polls under a caretaker government (CG),” BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
The BNP leader also urged the PM to create conducive atmosphere for free and fair polls by restoring the CG provision in the Constitution. “Awami League wants to score goals in an empty field devoid of opposition members. But the nationalist forces will not allow it to play such game,” he added.
Alamgir was addressing a function to celebrate the 6th anniversary of the release from jail of BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman. The function was organised by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) at the Suhrawardi Uddyan here.
The opposition spokesman alleged that the Sheikh Hasina government was afraid of the nationalist party’s politics as well as Tarique. “A conspiracy is being hatched against him so that he cannot move forward with his politics,” he added.
Earlier, JCD leaders and activists were obstructed from proceeding towards Suhrawardi Uddyan. Police also picked up several leaders of the party’s student wing “without any justification”, he claimed.
Alamgir termed the ruling Awami League as fascist and autocratic and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the detained student leaders.“
JCD was scheduled to bring out a colourful procession to mark the 6th anniversary of Tarique Rahman’s jail release day. But they were deprived of their democratic right in the name of law and order,” he alleged.
Tarique was arrested on different charges, including corruption, in March 2007, during the last caretaker government.
He was released on bail on September 3, 2008. Eight days later, Tarique had left for London for treatment.BNP leaders Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Fazlul Haque Milon, Asaduzzaman Ripon, Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Khairul Kabir Khokan and others spoke at the function. JCD president Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel chaired the meeting.
Alamgir said the real character of Awami League was exposed through its politics of vengeance and repression of opposition leaders and activists.
“The government has already lost the people’s trust as residents of five city corporations have rejected it in the recently held civic body polls,” he claimed.The BNP leader criticised law minister Shafique Ahmed’s remark on Sunday that “the situation would tell us when the parliament would be dissolved”.
“Despite having a clear constitutional obligation in this regard, how could he come up with such remark that situation would tell them when Parliament would be dissolved,” he asked.
-With The Independent input
