BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday urged the people to jointly take to the streets to ‘oust this anti-democratic regime’ to pave the path for holding the next polls under a non-party administration.“There’s no alternative to the ouster of this democracy-annihilator government. So, everyone, including the young generation, has to wake up now. Today, we must vow to hold the polls under a non-partisan government by ousting the current regime through a united movement,” he said.
The BNP spokesman was addressing a discussion marking the launching of a book, titled ‘The Political Thought of Tarique Rahman’ organised by MBA Association of Bangladesh (MAB) at a city hotel.
Mentioning that the people are highly disturbed and fed-up at the moment, Fakhrul said, “The country is sinking into darkness. The opposition leaders and activists are being killed, harassed, oppressed and arrested regularly. If such situation continues, there’ll be no freedom and democracy in the country.”
The BNP leader also reiterated the opposition’s stance that they will not take part in the polls under the reconstituted cabinet as it is ‘illegal’. “The current administration has no validity and moral right to stay in office. The government is not following the constitution that they amended through the 15th amendment.”
Referring to the Prime Minister’s claim that the President has asked her to run the polls-time administration, Fakhrul said neither the Prime Minister nor the President’s press secretary told anything in this regard after the premier met Abdul Hamid last week.
As per the democratic practice, the BNP spokesman said the Prime Minister and her cabinet members resign after the expiry of their term. Then the President requests the premier to run the election-time government. “But, our Prime Minister didn’t follow it.”
Fakhrul also criticised the incumbent Election Commission calling it a government’s puppet. The Election Commission took oath for creating a level-playing field for all political parties, but they did nothing in this regard, he added. He went on: “The ban on rallies and meetings in the city is still effective, but the commission is not saying to lift the ban.”
The BNP leader urged all professional bodies and institutions, including Dhaka University, to raise their voice against the government’s unconstitutional and undemocratic activities. “You all please be vocal or democracy will be annihilated.”
Fakhrul described BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman as an exceptional politician who avoids politics of vengeance. He said Tarique’s political philosophy is to look forward and develop the country together with the people of all faiths, races and religions.
A documentary on the BNP senior vice chairman’s activities, political thoughts, views and programmes was screened at the beginning of the function. Chaired by MAB’s president Syed Alamgir, the programme was addressed, among others, by ex-VCs of Dhaka University, former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, Prof Moniruzzaman Miah, BNP chairperson’s advisers Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Dr Mushfiqur Rahman. – UNB
