Dhaka, April 25 – BNP leaders Wednesday demanded holding next general elections by dissolving the present parliament and after resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.Speaking at nationwide human chain programme, the leaders also demanded creating a level playing field for the national polls by freeing political leaders including party chairperson Khaleda Zia, withdrawal of false cases filed against the opposition leaders and activists.
“Our chairperson Khaleda Zia and other political leaders have to be released. False cases have to be withdrawal. The Prime Minister has to resign after dissolving the parliament. Only then, a level playing field could be created to hold the next parliamentary polls,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He was speaking at a human chain programme in front of the party central office at Naya Paltan in the city. Hundreds of party leaders and activists joined the hour-long human chain began at 11:00am and ended at 12:00pm.
Party leaders and followers holding banners, festoons and placard were chanting different slogans to have their party chairperson freed from jail.
As part of the eight-day long programme, the BNP arranged human chain programme across the country including the capital city of Dhaka protesting what it said providing punishment to former premier Khaleda Zia in a baseless and fabricated case and her unconditional release from jail.
The BNP secretary general said their only call to the party rank and file to carryout united movement to free the party chairperson, restore democracy in the country and protecting the voting rights.
He alleged that the health condition of Khaleda Zia is being deteriorated day by day in jail but she is not being allowed to take treatment at a hospital she prefers for.
“Chairperson’s personal physicians are not allowed to meet her and she is not allowed to take treatment from the hospital as per her desire,” he said.
Referring to Tuesday’s visit of Khaleda’s relatives, Mirza Alamgir said they came to now that Khaleda Zia is too sick that she could not come down at the ground floor from the first floor of the prison during the visit.
He also accused the government of keeping the former premier at a damped room of the abandoned central jail for about two and half a months.
The BNP leader said Khaleda has been kept in the prison as the government afraid of her. “If she remains outside, the government cannot resist the ongoing movement fro restoration of democracy and their defeat is certain,” he added.
He criticised the government for carrying out propaganda against party acting chairman Tarique Rahman and said the government has fallen into its own pit after digging it for others by initiating debate on Tarique Rahman’s status.
In British law, there is no provision that citizenship will be rejected if anyone deposits passports…The Government is carrying out a false propaganda. He did not give up his (Tarique) citizenship and he is very much citizen of Bangladesh, he said.
BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain accused the government of hatching conspiracy to hold another January 5 like general elections.
“The people will not allow the government to do the same again. They rejected the government and they will give a befitting reply through ballots if they get a chance,” he said.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said there is no political freedom in the country and constitution is not being followed.
Among others, BNP leaders-Abdullah Al Noman, Mohammed Shajahan, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Ahmed Azam Khan, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Amanullah Aman and Joynal Abedin Faruk were present at the programme.
Huge number of law enforcers has been deployed at Naya Paltan area centering the programme but they did not create obstacles.
A special judge court punished Khaleda for five years in a graft case and sent her to Old central Jail at Nazimuddin Road on February 8.
Since then, the BNP has observed various peaceful programs, including leaflet distribution, countrywide demonstrations, human-chains, sit-ins, token hunger-strikes, and protest processions in different phases, demanding her release. – Staff Reporter
