Dhaka-BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday reiterated their party’s call to the government for engaging in talks forgetting past bitterness to find out an effective way for peaceful handover of power through fair polls. “We once again call upon the government, let’s forget the past. Let’s engage in a dialogue and determine a peaceful path for handover of power,” he told a discussion.
Barristers for Change, a platform of pro-BNP lawyers, arranged the programme on communalism, extremism and the rule of law at Cirdap auditorium in the city.
Fakhrul said their party will accept any result of a national election if it is held in a free and fair manner. “If you’re brave enough hold an election under a neutral government and neutral Election Commission.”
Though the ruling party turned down BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s proposals on constituting a stronger Election Commission, Fakhrul said BNP still hopes the government will initiate talks on the proposals shunning its arrogance.
He said the government is now plotting to remove the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman who is a recipient of gallantry ward Bir Uttom and encouraged people to involve in the war after ‘proclaiming the country’s independence’.
Housing and Public Works Ministry last year proposed removing eight graves, including BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s one, and some other establishments, set up in parliament area distorting the original design of Louis I Kahn.
Louis I Kahn’s original design of parliament reached here on Thursday from the US’ Pennsylvania University.
Claiming that Zia’s name is there in the hearts of crores of people like Cuban late leader Fidel Castro, Fakhrul said, “If you (govt) try to do anything against him, people will resist it. People will keep him above their heads as they hold him in their chests.”
The BNP leader said the government is also trying to keep BNP leaders and activists away from politics by implicating them in false case. “It won’t be possible to suppress Khaleda Zia by implicating her in false cases.”
