Describing Khaleda Zia’s remarks on the January 5 general election as “full of lies”, Awami League joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said on Wednesday that the BNP chairperson was spreading false information in a bid to mislead the nation. Hanif, also a lawmaker, was addressing a press conference at TCB Bhaban in the city. He was reacting to Khaleda’s statement at a press conference on Tuesday. The AL leader said Khaleda was trying to restore her party’s image by spreading falsehood, as all her conspiracies against the Awami League-led government had failed.
Hanif said the new government is committed to suppressing violence in the name of movement. The government would extend its cooperation for any peaceful movement, but if anybody tried to create anarchy, the government would deal with it with an iron hand.
The lawmaker alleged that Khaleda wanted to topple the government by creating an anarchic situation with the help of the Jamaat-Shibir. But eventually she did not succeed.
He said it was not possible to uphold democracy with the help of war criminals and terrorists. Hanif said Khaleda backtracked from her earlier stand of launching a violent agitation as she realised that people rejected her party’s destructive politics.
Talking to reporters at the Election Commission secretariat, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s adviser HT Imam said an understanding can be reached with the BNP when people realise that the party has given up violent activities and cut off ties with the Jamaat.
Reacting to Khaleda’s press conference, Awami League publicity secretary Hasan Mahmud alleged that the BNP chief was trying to hide her misdeeds by criticising the AL-led government. He was addressing a press conference at Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office in the city.
“We had hoped that the BNP chief would seek apology from the people for her misdeeds, but she did not do so. It is very unfortunate,” he said, adding that the Awami League hoped that Khaleda would announce that she had cut off ties with the Jamaat.
An atmosphere conducing to holding talks on the next general election would be created only when the BNP severs all ties with the Jamaat and shuns the path of violence.
Courtesy of The Independent
