The BNP claims the government set the field to conduct a ‘stage-managed’ election by introducing an element of ambiguity in the Constitution through its 15th Amendment.
“The Prime Minister and Ministers are making incoherent statements. There is no consistency in what they are saying. They (government) have kept an element of ambiguity with only one aim: to hold a dubious election,” acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Monday.
He was addressing a rally of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, student wing of the BNP, at Suhrawardy Udyan.
The present government had brought the 15th Amendment to the Constitution ensuring that the next parliamentary election is held under it and not under any non-party caretaker administration.
However, the BNP has been opposing the amendment and demanding the restoration of the caretaker system.
The opposition party has also threatened to boycott the polls unless its demand is met.
But even as the two sides hold on to their contradictory positions, Fakhrul on Monday urged the government to come forward to reach a compromise on the troubling election issue.
“I would like to tell the government, your time is nearing end. Only a few weeks are left. But there is still time; please don’t make your departure more painful,” he said.
Fakhrul, who is also the BNP spokesperson, said: “You (government) want to score goals in an empty field.”
He urged the government to create a level playing field for all in the election. “We will then seen who wins and who loses.”
Several thousand Chhatra Dal leaders and activists from various educational institutions in Dhaka city joined the rally marking the fifth anniversary of BNP’s Senior Vice Chairperson Tarique Rahman’s release from jail.
The organisers had planned a procession after the rally but the police denied them permission.
Chhatra Dal leaders alleged that over 50 of their colleagues had been detained while on their on their way to the meet.
Fakhrul condemned the detentions and demanded their immediate release.
Criticising the ‘negative propaganda’ against Tarique, he said: “The government mounted a global search for Tarique’s assets and bank accounts but failed to find any account.”
“The government has been hatching conspiracies and conducting a negative campaign against Tarique Rahman out of fear,” he added.
Tarique was arrested on Mar 7, 2007 during the previous army-backed two-year caretaker government and released on Sept 3, 2008 on bail for medical treatment after about 18 months’ imprisonment.
Immediately after being released, he flew to London and has been staying there since. – bdnews24.com
