Dhaka – Apparently pointing at the next general election, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday hoped that repression and oppressors will disappear from the country in 2018 as it will be the year of people. UNB news agency reported
“We believe the year 2018 will be the year of the country’s people, and the repression and coercers will be removed from the country,” she said.
Khaleda came up with the remarks while speaking at an iftar party arranged by Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a component of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, at Ladies’ Club in the city’s Eskatan area.
The BNP chief came down hard on the government for what she said its failure to maintain law and order and control the soaring prices of essentials. “The law and order is gradually deteriorating while the prices of essentials are continuously shooting up.”
She voiced concern that the country’s common people are going through immense sufferings as the government has raised the tariffs of utility services like gas, power and water amid the price hike of essentials. “People have to buy rice at Tk 50-Tk 60 per kg. No vegetable now can be bought below Tk 50.”
She said though the government claims to have developed the country and the power sector, Dhaka city is now experiencing regular power outages.
“The country should have glittered the way they claim to have increased power generation. But Dhaka city is experiencing repeated power cuts while the rest parts of the country have plunged into darkness. This is the example of Awami League’s development,” she observed.
The BNP chief also alleged that the country’s people are being deprived of justice as the government has obliterated the rule of law.
She alleged that it is the government, not the judges, now controlling the judiciary.
Opposing the imposition of excise duty on bank accounts in the proposed budget, Khaleda said the government has done it to pick people’s pockets.
Khaleda also voiced concern over the ‘widespread plundering and corruption’ in the banking sector, saying the year 2016 was the year of bank looting by Awami League men.
Senior leaders of BNP and the 20-party alliance attended the iftar party.
