Dhaka – The BNP on Wednesday called upon the government to hold talks with opposition political parties to find out a way for holding a free, fair and acceptable election.“Please find out a way through holding talks with the opposition parties for the sake of the country. So that an acceptable election can be held and people can cast their votes,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He was speaking at a protest rally in Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium.
Dhaka (South) city unit of BNP organized the rally protesting the arrest warrant against party senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman.
Mirza Alamgir alleged that the government has become desperate ahead of the next general elections and they want to give conviction to the BNP leaders.
“The government wants to take the cases filed against opposition leaders at last stage in a bid to provide them conviction before the elections. It has taken tactics to keep the top leaders including party chairperson Khaleda Zia and senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman away from the elections,” he alleged.
He warned that it will be tough for them to sustain in the politics if the party leaders and activists cannot foil the “government’s conspiracy”.
Terming the two-month long dialogue of Election Commission with different stakeholders eyewash, he expressed doubts whether the EC would be able to hold free, fair and acceptable elections in line with the outcomes of the dialogue.
“Taking part in the dialogue all the stakeholders told The EC that holding a free and fair election is not possible without an election time neutral government. Now the nation is waiting to see the EC’s action,” he said.
He said the EC cannot do anything as it has no power to do anything against the government by staying outside of it. Despite this, we are observing whether it has taken measure for holding an impartial election, he added.
The BNP secretary general alleged that the government wants to apply all of its forces to cling to power.
He alleged that BNP leader MK Anwar had passed away due to cases filed against him. Finally, he has been implicated in such a case that he could not tolerate it, he added.
Mirza Alamgir accused the government of taking mega projects aiming at mega plundering. They will take projects of thousands crore of taka and take away thousands crore of taka, he said.
Presided over by city BNP president Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, the meeting also addressed, among others, by BNP chairpeorn’s adviser Abdus Salam, Mir Sharafat Ali Sopu, city secretary Kazi Abul Bashar and JCD secretary Akramul Hasan Mintu. – Staff Reporter
