Sylhet, Sept 24 (UNB) – BNP senior leaders on Tuesday called upon their party leaders and activists to get ready for a strong street movement to ‘oust’ the current ‘plunderer’ government and free Khaleda Zia from jail as per the desire of people.
Speaking at a rally, they accused the government of turning the country into a ‘den of casinos’ and gamblers by destroying democracy and the democratic institutions.
“Awami League government is an anti-people one. They didn’t get elected with people’s votes. They’ve destroyed all the achievements of the country. The country is now under the grip of gamblers and plunderers,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He further said, “People now want the government to quit and Khaleda Zia to be freed. The country’s sovereignty will be at stake if the current government stays in power for a long time. So, get ready for a movement. We’ll announce programmes in the days to come.”
Sylhet city unit BNP arranged the rally in the Registry Field here demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Fakhrul said the government fears people as it has been in power illegally by resorting of ‘vote robbery’ the night before the national election.
He said the government is now ‘using’ the administration, police and the judiciary to hang onto power after destroying all the democratic institutions of the country. “They (govt) often claim that Bangladesh has become a role model of development. It has become such a role model that casinos are now everywhere.”
The BNP leader said their chairperson Khaleda Zia has been kept in jail in ‘false and fabricated’ cases as she did not get justice. “But the ruling party leaders are siphoning off thousands of crores of taka abroad through plundering, but they’re not being put on trial.”
He said the government made over 500 opposition leaders and activists, including BNP leader M Ilias Alai, disappeared and implicated over 26 lakh people in different false cases to suppress its political opponents.
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the current government is a ‘regime of looters, extortionists, grumblers and robbers, not that of people. “They’re turning the country into a failed state with their misdeeds and misrule.”
Referring to the recent drive against casinos and illegal business, he said the black cats of the government are coming out from the bag, exposing how they ‘looted’ public money.
He called upon people to get ready for waging a strong movement to restore democracy and free Khaleda Zia from jail ensuring the fall of the current government.
BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said Awami League government is an ‘unconstitutional’ one as it is not elected with people’s votes.
He said the ruling party men are involving in plundering, extortion and various offences as the government has no accountability to people. “Corruption has spread everywhere as the government has no control over the state organs. The government should quit right now.”
Claiming that Khaleda was convicted in ‘false’ cases, he said a street movement is the only way to have her released from jail. “So, we must take to the streets to restore democracy and free Khaleda Zia.”
BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said Khaleda Zia will not be freed from jail as long as the current government remains power, “So, we must oust this regime to ensure the release of Khaleda Zia and pave the way for safe homecoming of Tarique Rahman.”
