BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday urged people to get ready to take to the streets with ‘peaceful sit-in programmes after Eid-ul-Fitr to save the country from Awami League’s grasp.
“We call upon people to be aware of Awami League. We all must get united to free the country from their (AL’s) clutches,” she said.
Speaking at an iftar party, the BNP chief further said, “We’ll have to take to the streets, if necessary, with peaceful programmes after the eid.”
Jatiya Party (Zafar), one of the partners of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, arranged the programme at Emmanuel’s Convention Centre, Gulshan.
Khaleda voiced anger over the attack on BNP leaders’ motorcade Rangunia upazila in Chittagong and demanded stern action against the perpetrators.
“I want to know how many people have been arrested over the attack on our secretary general. The attackers must be arrested and punished immediately. I want proper trial of the incident,” she said.
In a message in her twitter account, she also said, “I don’t have words forceful enough to denounce the heinous, cowardly & shocking attack on BNP secretary general & other leaders. This is an attack on democracy, politics, human rights & indispensable tolerance. The consequences of this can’t be good at all.”
Earlier in the day, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and some other party senior leaders were injured as local Awami League supporters allegedly attacked his motorcade at Isakhali in Rangunia upazila, Chittagong on their way to hillslides-hit Rangamati.
Protesting the attack, Khaleda said the incident has proved that the ruling party men are behind all the incidents of terrorism and anarchism in the country.
She alleged that people have got fed-up with the soaring prices of essentials, hike of gas and power tariffs and the government’s repressive acts. “I would like to urge people to come forward to save yourselves, your family members and relatives from repression and suppression. Let’s force the government to hold the next election under a neutral government with our united efforts.”
The BNP chief said the 11th parliamentary election will surely be held under a non-party neutral government, and Awami League will have to take part in it quitting power.
She warned that no party will join the election if it is held under Awami League government. “The country’s people won’t allow anyone to hold such polls.”
