BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Saturday said people will resist with their full force the government’s move to hold a stage-managed election under a partisan administration. “No stage-managed and lopsided election will be allowed to be arranged in the country, no matter what evil design and plot Awami League is crafting,” he said during a mass contact on waterways here. Meghna upazila unit of BNP arranged the unique mass campaign to drum up public support in favour of arranging the next election under a non-party government. Thousands of BNP leaders and activists, led by Mosharraf, in over a hundred trawlers traveled the Kanthalia-Meghna river route in the upazila chanting various slogans and holding festoons, placards and portraits of party founder Zaiur Rahman, chairperson Khaleda Zia, senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman and Dr Mosharraf. People alongside the river also welcomed the BNP caravan by clapping hands and chanting slogans in favour of restoration of the caretaker government. Mosharrf addressed gatherings at 14 points along the river, including Looterchar, Moupur, Omarkanda Ghat, Char Kathalia, Alipur Ghat, Baluchar and Chandanpur Ghat. The BNP leader urged the government to arrange the election under a non-party government shunning its tricks. “You’ll face a dire consequence if you try to hold a one-sided election on the pretext of protecting the constitution. People will force you to accept their demand.” He alleged that the ruling party is pushing the country towards confrontation with its stubbornness and greed to cling to power. Mosharraf, also a former health minister, said the people of the country are annoyed at the misrule, repression, looting and corruption by the current regime. “They want a change in power through fair polls under a non-party government.” Mentioning that they want a healthy election race, the BNP leader called upon the government to create a level-playing field by restoring the caretaker government system and test its popularity. Mosharraf asked party leaders and activists to take all-out preparations to wage a strong street movement after October if the government does not concede to their demand. – UNB
PM says, BNP will unleash reign of terror
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the people of Bangladesh not to vote for the BNP-led opposition in the ensuing national election saying it would unleash a ‘reign of terror’ if returned to power.
She urged her supporters to be aware of the opposition’s propaganda against the ruling Awami League using religious issues.
“If the BNP comes to power, it will stop the ongoing trials of the suspected war criminals, kill people and loot,” Hasina told her party’s grassroots leaders from Dhaka, Panchagarh, Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachharhi at a meeting on Saturday.
“They will kill People like in the 1971,” the Awami League President warned.
Saturday’s interaction with leaders from the five districts was held at the Ganabhaban as part of the party’s process of finalising candidates for the 10th national election.
Hasina said Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia will have to answer the nation for ‘ordering’ torching of copies of the Quran during Hifazat-e Islam’s programme in the capital in May.
Activists of the Chittagong-based group ran wild setting fire to roadside shops, damaging public and private establishments in the city’s commercial hub Motijheel on May 5.
Booksellers said 55 bookstores containing 50,000 books, worth approximately Tk 10 million, were destroyed in the arson attack.
The Prime Minister alleged the BNP-Jamaat cadres had set fire to copies of Quran during the attack. – bdnews24,com
