Dhaka – BNP on Tuesday alleged that the government has raised the jail term by two years under ‘The Law and Order Disruption (Speedy Trial) (amendment) Bill, 2017’ with a political motive to keep the party out of the next election by convicting its leaders and activists. UNB news reported
“The Cabinet extended the jail term ahead of the next election. Awami League is thinking if the BNP leaders and activists can be convicted, it’ll be able to hold another January 5, 2014-like lopsided election,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking at a discussion meeting, he warned the government that people will not allow Awami League this time to hold any a unilateral election. “The country’s people will realise their voting rights and establish a pro-people government.”
Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh (DAB) arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), marking BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s 36th death anniversary.
On Monday, the Cabinet approved in principle the draft of the ‘The Law and Order Disruption (Speedy Trial) (amendment) Bill, 2017’, raising jail term by two years for committing crimes that disrupt the law and order situation.
The trial of some offences disrupting the law and order situation like extortion, disrupting traffic movement, vandalism, tender manipulation, giving threats, mugging, terrorising people as well as vandalism of public property and immovable property will come under the purview of the amended law as in the existing one.
According to the amended draft law, anyone responsible for committing crimes disrupting law and order will face minimum two years and maximum seven years of rigorous imprisonment along with fine.
Fakhrul said Awami League is resorting to various tricks to keep BNP outside the polls as it has got isolated from people and politically bankrupt. “They also don’t want people to join the election and cast their votes.”
He alleged that the government is trying to turn Bangladesh into a dependent state by destroying its economic potentials. “The government didn’t give importance to some sectors, like education and health, not only in the new budget, but also in its all other budgets.”
The BNP leader said poor people are being affected badly following the rise in power and gas tariffs alongside the soaring prices of essentials.
“There’s no alternative to ensuring a change in the government for the sake of our existence as a nation and for our survival,” he observed.
