The acting secretary general of the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has warned the Awami League-led Grand Alliance that his party would work on a new strategy with its leaders and activists to force the government to restore the provision of the non-party caretaker government (CG) to the Constitution.“The constitution isn’t like the holy Quran and Bible that it can’t be changed in the public interest. There will be an intensive movement immediately if the government doesn’t restore the CG system to the charter through a further amendment,” he warned.
He was addressing a function marking the 23rd founding anniversary of Juba Jagpa, a youth front of Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA), at the National Press Club on Thursday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday that somebody would have to start the democracy and that the Awami League would do this by handing over power after holding the elections in a free and fair manner.
Rejecting the Premier’s statement, Alamgir said Sheikh Hasina wants to introduce a “restricted democracy” in the country by stamping down on the people’s desires and expectations. “It wants to establish absolute control on everything by doing so. Can it be called democracy?” the opposition spokesperson asked rhetorically.
Referring to the Premier’s comment that the civil society members are responsible for all the problems in the country, Alamgir said that when Hasina was in the opposition, she used to like whatever the civil society members used to say. “After assuming power, she started disliking the civil society members, who always speak the truth,” he added. The BNP leader also criticised the government for deploying members of its different law enforcement agencies at every strategic point in and around the capital.
The government is afraid of the people and so it has started depending on law enforcement personnel to try and avert its inevitable setback in the next general elections, he said.
“Members of different law enforcement agencies, including the police, have been deployed at every strategic point across the capital. It seems that there is a battle-like situation involving the law enforcers and the people,” he claimed.
Citing the record of corruption of the ruling Awami League, Alamgir said the government has smashed the Padma Bridge project as well as the country’s banking sector. Now it is planning to destroy the country’s Constitution, he alleged.
Describing the government’s foreign policy as submissive, Alamgir said Bangladesh has been deprived of its due share of the water of the Teesta river. The Land Boundary Treaty with India has gone in vain while transit facilities have been given to it without any justification, he claimed.
Alamgir demanded that the secretary of rights body Odhikar, Adilur Rahman Khan, who was arrested for publishing a report and photograph on the May 5 police action on a Hefazat-e Islam rally in the capital, be released immediately.
JAGPA chief Shafiul Alam Prodhan, its general secretary Lutfar Rahman and others spoke at the function. Insanul Alam Akkas, president of the front, was in the chair.
In a separate programme, Alamgir has warned that the country will be made dysfunctional if the opposition’s non-party CG demand is not met immediately.
“We can’t accept holding of the next general election under a partisan management. Ouster the government will have to be ensured by blocking road and rail ways and turning the country into a dysfunctional,” he warned. Alamgir was addressing a function marking the sixth jail release day of the party’s senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman organised by Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal at the Suhrawardi Uddyan in the capital on Thursday afternoon.
“Our democratic pliability is being treated as political weakness. That’s why all way to reach a national consensus over a non-party election time administration has been blocked,” he alleged.
Alamgir said the government will not get chance to flee the country if the CG provision is not restored to the constitution.
“I am telling the government very clearly that BNP would not take part in any stage managed election,” he added.
Alamgir also called upon his party men to be organised and united under the leadership of Khaleda Zia to ensure safe homecoming of her elder son Tarique Rahman now under going treatment in London.
Tarique Rahman has introduced politics with a new dimension to boost the country’s economical progress. He has been sent to jail to halt his progressive activities, he blamed. BNP leaders Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Abdus Salam and others spoke at the programme with Syed Motzzem Hossain Alal president of the yout front in the chair.
-With The Independent input
