Terming the new government illegal and isolated, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Monday demanded fresh parliamentary polls as soon as possible under a neutral administration. “I call upon this shameless government to prove its popularity by holding a fresh election under a neutral administration, leaving its greed for power,” she told a mammoth rally at Suhrawardy Udyan. Khaleda said, “This regime is scandalous one. It can’t be a government of people as they didn’t vote for it. So, we want to tell the government to immediately arrange a fresh election under a non-party neutral administration as people don’t support you.” The BNP chief said this government is completely illegal as it has not been elected by people. “People have rejected the current government by not casting their votes in the January 5 election.”
Khaleda said this isolated and weak government is trying to hang onto power using arms, not by people’s mandate as the voters showed their no-confidence in the government through boycotting the elections. The former premier claimed that the voter turnout in the election was less than 5 percent, but the Election Commission showed it 40 percent three days after the election. “The January 5 election has proved that no free and fair election can be held under a partisan government. A free, fair and credible election is not possible without a non-party caretaker government,” she observed. Mentioning that they want peace and continuation of democratic process in the country, the head of the 18-party alliance urged the government to create a congenial atmosphere for resolving the political crisis through talks. At the beginning of her speech, Khaleda thanked the country’s people for “boycotting the January 5 election with hatred. The government has staged a farce in the name of election.” Khaleda said now their prime tasks are to save the country from the clutches of the current autocratic and illegal regime and restore democracy.
The former premier came down heavily on Jatiya Party chairman HM Ersahd for what she said staging a series of dramas. “Had Ershad been detained he would not have gone to the CMCH and played golf. It was nothing but a stage-managed game.” Recalling then Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s remark at Laldigir Maidan (ground) in Chittagong in 1986 that those who would go to polls under autocrat Ershad would be treated as traitor, Khaleda said but Hasina finally joined the election along with Jamaat. Ershad, however, returned Hasina the reward by joining the polls and cabinet this time, Khaleda said. “Now two autocrats have joined hands to eat up the country and loot its property.” Describing Sheikh Hasina as a self-declared traitor, her political nemesis said a traitor can be a patriot and she will remain as a traitor. “So, arrange a fair election to cover up your betrayal.” She also called upon the people from all walks of life, including freedom fighters, women and youths, to get united to force the government to quit and hold a new election.
Khaleda alleged that the current regime has resorted to repression, killing, forced disappearance to subdue opposition as it has not been elected by people. Claiming that over 22 BNP leaders and activists were made disappeared during the election period, the former premier asked the government to shun its repressive acts and create a democratic environment in the country. Referring to the pre-election violence against the minority communities, Khaleda held the ruling party responsible for it as she claimed that the government is doing this to divert people’s attention from the ‘farcical’ election. She alleged that those involved in the attacks are not being held as they belong to the ruling party. “So, the government is responsible for the attacks on immoralities. It has failed to ensure security for the minorities and track down and punish those attacked them.” Stating that Awami League does not believe in democracy and multiparty-democracy, Khaleda, who lost her official portfolio of opposition leader after the 10th parliament lection, said there is no opposition party in parliament as the ruling party pursues a one-party rule like Bakasl.
“They have reestablished the one-party rule as they did in the past.” “They’re going to sit in parliament without election and opposition. Some clowns will be there in parliament, not people’s representative, as they are not elected by people,” she added. The BNP chief warned the government that it will not be able to cling to power for ever, no matter what tricks they resort to. “So, arrange fresh polls soon through talks.” Referring to Prime Minister Sheik Hasina’s earlier remarks that she would not budge even an inch from the constitution, Khaleda accused her arch rival of flagrantly violating the constitution. In her over an-hour speech, Khaleda also criticised the current regime for indulging in corruption, looting, siphoning off money, misrule, raids by joint forces, arrest of opposition leaders, including top ones, restriction on opposition’s democratic programmes, shutting down media outlets and repression on journalists. Mentioning the ruling party used to carry out propaganda that militancy will boom up if BNP comes to power, the BNP chief said militancy had spread in the country during the Awami League’s previous rule as it did not take any measure after some deadly bomb attacks.
She said they delimited militancy by arresting all militant kingpins and punishing them during their previous term. Khaleda vowed that they will not allow militants to make Bangladesh soil a safe haven for them if it returns to power. “Militancy will again be eliminated if AL quits power.” The ex-premier deplored the way the government treated a revered person like Dr Yunus, and promised that they will give him due respect if voted back to power. The BNP chairperson urged all to join their countrywide ‘black flag procession’ on January 29 in protest against the maiden session of the 10th parliament. “Today, the country is passing through a very critical time because of the government’s continued repression. People are now fed–up and they’ll drive this repressive regime out very soon,” Khaleda told the rally. The BNP, which boycotted the January 5 parliamentary elections along with its alliance partners, organised the rally to formally thank the country’s people for what it said boycotting the polls. haleda arrived at the rally venue at 4pm and took her seat on the podium at 4.10pm. The rally began around 2:15 pm with the recitation of verses from the holy Quran. BNP publicity secretary Zainul Abdin Farroque moderated the rally. Self-proclaimed Jatiya Party chairman Kazi Zafar Ahmed, LDP president Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, BJP president Andaleev Rahman Partha, Jagpa president Shaiful Alam Pradhan, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamiruddin Sircar, Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman and Dr Moyeen Khan, among others, addressed the rally. Senior BNP leaders and top leaders of 18-party other than Jamaat-e Islami joined the rally. As part of its countrywide programme and the first of its kind after the national election, the party held the rally, apparently to stage a showdown. Similar rallies were also held in all divisional cities, district towns and upazila headquarters. – UNB
