Narsingdi – Leader of the opposition and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday warned that the opposition would launch non-stop programme including hartal and blockade if the government doesn’t accept its demand for restoration of non-partisan caretaker government to oversee the next general elections.
“We will not listen t anyone whosoever he-she might be, it doesn’t matter whichever country they are from. We will only value the public opinion after the completion of the tenure of the present government. No election will be allowed in the country under the present government and such moves will be resisted at any costs,” she said while addressing a mammoth public meeting at Basail Shishu Park ground in Narsingdi.
The former prime minister said, if necessary the people go to the street and take positiosn until the demand for restoration of CG is meterialised.
She emphasised the need for creating level playing field to take part in the election and said level playing field cannot be ensured if the government wants to hold the election keeping the Prime Minster, ministers and MPs in the office.
Terming the election as a game, she said, “Let us play by creating a level playing field. If you have done good work the people will again vote you to power’ otherwise; you will have to accept defeat.”
Referring to the Prime Minster’s plea of following the Constitution regarding the election-time government, she said when Sheikh Hasina was the leader of the opposition, there was no provision of caretaker government but they carried out movement and observed hartal for 173 days for introducing the system.
But surprisingly, the Prime Minister deleted the CG provision from the Constitution using their majority in Parliament even though the Supreme Court in its judgment opined that the system might be in operative for more two general elections.
She said the government didn’t discuss the issue of cancellation of CG system with the opposition and civil society members. Referring to a survey, she said 95 per cent people of the country now want election be held under CG.
Khaleda said, “The government has to take the decision whether they would accept the demand of restoration of CG or quit power,”
She said the Prime Minister doesn’t want to hold a free and fair election being afraid of losing her control over the administration, police, BDR, RAB, DC, SP, OC and, what she termed as, the loyal Election Commission (EC). Khaleda suggested the EC should resign if it cannot work independently.
She highlighted the government’s failure in different sectors including maintenance of law and order, power and energy, communication, fair prices, and tackling of hallmark, destiny, share market and Padma bridge scams.
The BNP chairperson said the government destroyed the garment sector as huge number of mills and factories including 500 garment units closed during the present government’s tenure.
She mentioned that there was no investment in the country during the period since they were more interested in commission.
The opposition leader said they have fixed their priority tasks as to what they would do if they are voted to power. She said we don’t want to do politics of revenge rather we would introduce politics of new dimension.
Khaleda mentioned the foreigners termed the Dhaka as unlivable and said they would turn the city into a nice capital if voted to power. She reiterated that they would build two bridges on Padma river and remove corruption from the country. Ministers and MPs will be accountable for their corruption and misdeeds.
“We consider corruption as a major enemy of the society,” she added.Khaleda also pledged to take measures for development of the education and health sectors and introduction of fast train services construction of deep sea port and creation of employment opportunity.
Criticisng the government for carrying out drives on the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Square on May 5 night Khaleda said it is reported that 1.5 lakh bullets were used to remove the Hefazat activists but law enforcers claimed that they didn’t use any fire arms.
In this regard, she mentioned that the Hefazat was active in the filed as bloggers were making deregatory remarks against Islam and Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM) on the internet. She blasted the government for arresting Amardesh Editor Mahmudfur Rahman, Mufti Waqqas and human rights activist Adilur Rahman Shuvra.
The meeting, presided over by district BNP president Khairul Kabir khokan, was also addressed among others, by BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Dr Khandaker MOsharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Brig Gen (Retd) ASM Hannan Shah, Dr Abdul Moin Khan, chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party Barrister Andalib Rahman Partha, Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Shamsul Islam, Khalefat Majlish ameer Maulana Ishaque, LDP chief Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed, MP, Jagpa chief Shafiul Alam Prodhan, ION chairman Abdul Latif Nezami, Abdullah Al Noman, Shirin Sultana and Chhatra Dal president Abdul Quader Jwel.
The venue of the meeting and its adjacent areas turned into a human sea as hundreds and thousands of people from different areas started coming from the morning ignoring the inclement weather. The traffic on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway from Shaheb Protab to BISIC Industrial area remained suspended for about three hours.
