The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday accused the government of pushing the country towards a civil war in the name of holding a voter less election.
“There is still time. We will request the prime minister to stop the January 5 elections. Please take measures to hold a dialogue for holding the election in participation of all political parties,” said BNP vice chairman Dr Osman Faruk while addressing at an emergency press conference on Thursday evening.
He called upon the people on behalf of the opposition leader Khaleda Zia to say “No” to the lopsided and staged elections and “Yes” to the movement for establishing the democracy.
The BNP leader reiterated his call to government to come to a consensus for resolving the political impasse by canceling what he said the farcical elections and shunning the path of stubbornness.
“People have no interest about the farcical polls. International community has already conveyed their disinterest about it. Despite this, the prime minister does not leave the path of stubbornness,” he mentioned.
The press conference was arranged at his Gulshan residence to inform the latest situation over the second day of 18-party sponsored countrywide blockade programme in view of the confinement of party headquarters and chairperson’s Gulshan office.
The BNP-led 18-party alliance called the indefinite blockade programme since Tuesday morning demanding cancellation of the January 5 election.
Criticising the government for resorting to carry out repression on opposition activists, Osman Faruk said the government wants to hold the lection to cling to power.
“The ruling AL has become blind and deaf for being in power. All political parties took a side while the AL went the other way,” he added.
The former minister alleged that the prime minister and her ministers are making funs in the name of election campaign. He also criticized the premier for sniping at Khaleda Zia that she remains at home by sponsoring programmes.
“People want to know how the opposition leader will join her programme if she is confined by creating barricade in front of her residence,” he said.
The BNP leader claimed that the people are observing the blocakade programme despite having different obstacles.
BNP leader Shamimur Rahman Shamim and Asadul Karim Shahin, among others, were p resent on the occasion. – Staff Reporter
