The BNP has observed that people have sent a no-confidence message to the government through the recently concluded Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) poll, boosting their demand to hold the next general election under the caretaker government (CG) system. “People have given their verdict against the government’s repressive acts. The government shouldn’t remain in power anymore. It should resign immediately, paving the path for the next general election to be held under the non-party CG system,” BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Sunday.
“I believe that good sense would prevail upon the government and it would restore the CG provision to the charter. Otherwise, people would realise their demand through mass movements,” he added.
Alamgir, also acting secretary general of the party, was addressing a press conference held at the party’s Naya Paltan central office in Dhaka.
He claimed that the general anti-government sentiment among common people had been reflected through the results of the GCC poll. He said the ruling party-backed mayoral candidate was defeated by a huge margin. He also said
the government should resign on moral grounds after experiencing absolute debacle in five city corporation polls.
Alamgir accused the government of hatching evil plots to snatch people’s mandate. He said the opposition-backed mayoral candidate, Prof. MA Mannan, would have got more votes if such efforts were not made.
He thanked members of different law enforcement agencies for their imperative role during polling, though they were under pressure to influence the election results.
Citing several undemocratic incidents during the Awami League’s current regime, Alamgir said no fair and impartial election was possible under the ruling party’s management. “Awami League speaks in a democratic manner, but believes in fascism and autocracy. The government has gagged the voice of democracy,” he added.
“The countrymen have cast their support in favour of our CG restoration demand. They sent a message to the government through the recently held local body polls,” he said.
BNP leaders Tariqul Islam Mia, ASM Hannan Shah, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Mirza Abbas, Nazrul Islam Khan and others were present at the press briefing.
At a separate programme on Sunday, BNP standing committee member Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain urged the government to place a Bill before Parliament to restore the CG provision to the Constitution.
Terming the GCC poll results as a victory for the people as well as democracy, he said the government should forfeit its existence if it does nothold the next general poll under the CG system.
He was addressing a meeting, organised by the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Ganotantrik Sangsad, at the National Press Club, with its president M Shahid Ullah Mazumdar in the chair.
He alleged that the government had been contemplating holding the next general election without the BNP. It would bring grave consequences for the ruling party, he warned. “The city corporation election results reflect the popular basis of our ongoing movement on the CG issue,” he added.
He claimed that the international community had also lost its trust in the government. “The US has suspended GSP benefits for Bangladeshi products in the American market and the World Bank has withdrawn fund from the Padma Bridge project,” he said.
Mosharraf blamed the government for its frantic efforts to alter the result of the GCC election. “The government used the National Board of Revenue against the BNP-backed canmdidate, but to no avail,” he said.
He thanked all media representatives for their active role during the election.
Jatiya Press Club president Kamal Uddin Sabuj, Dhaka City unit BNP member secretary Abdus Salam and others spoke at the programme.
At a separate programme, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said the government would be forced to restore the CG provision to the Constitution by October this year. The government had tried to manipulate the GCC poll results, but failed in the face of puiblic fury, he said.
He was addressing a discussion, organised by the Diganta TV Paribar, in front of the National Press Club on Sunday.
Describing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a skilled politician, Moudud said the ruling Awami League will face a debacle in the next general election if it is held under the CG management. “Sensing this, Hasina is planning to hold the next general poll under her own administration. But we’ll never allow that,” he said.
About the government-imposed embargo on the broadcasting of Islamic and Diganta TV channels, he said the government was claiming that no incidents of killing had taken place on May 5. “If it’s true, then why the private TV channels have been asked to close their broadcast until further directions?,” he asked the government.
BNP leaders Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Rafiqul Islam Mia and Bangladesh Federal Journalist Union presidednt Ruhul Amin Gazi spoke at the programme, with Mahbub Alam, executive director of Diganta TV, Nin the chair.
-With The Independent input
