Opposition BNP on Monday alleged that the government is going to put
the last nail in the coffin of democracy by arranging a ‘one-sided
farcical election’. “The government has completed all the
preparations for holding a one-party farcical election and thus it is
going to put the last nail in the coffin of democratic governing
system,” said BNP joint secretary general Salauddin Ahmed. In a
statement, the BNP spokesman also criticised the Election Commission
saying that the subservient Commission is busy carrying out the Prime
Minister’s orders. He also protested the Prime Minister’s allegation
that the opposition leader was committing ‘genocide’. “The atrocious
example of mass killing set at Shapla Chattar took place at the direct
order of the Prime Minister. It’s unprecedented in the history of the
civilized world.” Mentioning that the history of Awami League is the
history of brutal genocide of Rakshi Bahini, Salauddin alleged that
the ruling party is carrying out heinous acts of killing people in
arson attacks in a planed way to malign the ongoing movement. “We
protest and condemn such acts.” The BNP leader said the ruling party
ministers and MPs are facing public wrath across the country. “Many of
them are scared to go to their constituencies even in police
protection. Despite that Awami League is dreaming of hanging onto
power for ever through a farce election.” He warned that the
government will have to quit power in the face of a strong mass
movement if it does not concede to their demand for arranging the
national election under a non-party administration. Salauddin
claimed that three opposition leaders and activists were killed and
587 others injured in attacks by law enforcers and the ruling party
“cadres” at different places in the country during the 3rd day of the
18-prty sponsored rail-road-waterway blockade. Over 291 opposition
activists were arrested while more than 2,500 others implicated in
fresh ‘false’ cases across the country during the period, he further
claimed. On behalf of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, Salauddin greeted
the country’s people for their spontaneous participation in the
blockade programme. Earlier in the day, in a televised message
recorded at an undisclosed location, the BNP spokesman has announced
to extend the 18-party’s ongoing 72-hour road-rail-waterway blockade
programme by 59 hours till 5 pm on Thursday (Dec 5). “We’re
extending the ongoing peaceful blockade programme as the government
has not yet accepted our demand for a non-party caretaker
administration and the Election commission has still not postponed the
election schedule,” he said. The BNP-led 18-party enforced the
second spell of 72-hour blockade at 6:00am on Saturday. With its
fresh extension by 59 hours, the ongoing blockade has turned into a
131-hour one. – UNB
