A senior BNP leader has warned that his party would launch a movement to unseat the government if the latter tries to defeat the opposition-backed candidates by rigging the mayoral polls in four city corporations on June 15. The government was hatching a plot to defeat the opposition party-backed mayoral candidates as people from all classes have expressed support for them ahead of the corporation polls, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged.
“The government has become puzzled after noticing the mass support for the BNP-backed candidates. The government will get a befitting reply with an oust-government movement to be launched immediately if their victory is snatched through illegal means,” he warned.Alamgir termed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2013 which was passed in Parliament on Tuesday, as a black law and said it was passed to dent the opposition’s politics.“We condemn the government for passing such a controversial Bill in Parliament and urge its immediate withdrawal in the interest of continuation of our democracy,” he said.Alamgir said the countrymen have taken a decision that they would never allow the Awami League-led government to hold the next general election under its own management.“We have taken a fresh vow to remain on the streets until our CG restoration demand is met. The ruling party will not be able to dent our movement through repression,” he added.
He was addressing a rally in protest against the issuance of an arrest warrant against the party’s senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman and demanding election under the CG oversight at the Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.It was also meant to push for the opposition’s other demands for the release of all opposition leaders and activists and withdrawal of their false and motivated cases filed against them.Alamgir said reshuffling in the public and civil administration is going on ahead of the upcoming general election.
“Why is the government afraid of participating in the general election under a non-party CG management? Please ensure a level playing field for all political parties without reshuffling the administration intentionally,” he said.About the arrest warrant against Rahman, he said this has been done by imposing political interference in the judiciary.“The government will not be able to keep Rahman away from politics by implicating him with false cases and issuing arrest warrant on motivated charges,” he said.Taking part in the rally, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said the government has set up a trap by imposing an embargo on political activities but the opposition party avoided the trap.
The ruling Awami League has been criticised bitterly in local and international arena for imposing ban on political activities, he said.“The government has faced a severe embarrassment as Rahman has taken part in a political programme in London. What will happen if he takes part in five public meetings there,” he asked.About the CG restoration demand, he said, “No one can trust the government over its dialogue proposal as the ruling party leaders, including Premier Sheikh Hasina, were engaged in making misleading statements.”
“We will realise our demands, including the restoration of CG , through waging movements on the streets if the government does not pave the path of holding of dialogue by withdrawing cases lodged during the previous 1/11 tenure,” he said.BNP will wage a tough movement in and outside Parliament if any indecorous remarks are made against Ziaur Rahman’s family members including Tarique Rahman, he added. “We will not allow the government to go unchallenged, We will give a befitting reply to the government on the streets and in Parliament.”
BNP vice-chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka urged the government to accept the opposition’s CG restoration demand “without making irrelevant statements over the issue”.
“The next general election will not be allowed to be held without restoration of the CG provision in the charter. The government will be held responsible if any untoward incident takes place over the issue,” he warned.ASM Hannan Shah, another standing committee member of the party, criticised the home minister for his statement in Parliament that BNP will not be allowed to hold rallies in open places. “October 25 will be the last day for the ruling Awami League as per the announcement of Premier Sheikh Hasina.’
-With The Independent input
