Renewing her party’s demand for restoration of the caretaker government system, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday said people will reject the current regime with hatred if the next polls are not held under a non-party administration.“Test your popularity by arranging the election under a non-party caretaker government. We know people will reject this killer, repressive, corrupt and plunderer regime with hatred,” she told an iftar party.
Jamaat-e-Islami arranged the party at a city hotel in honour of the country’s politicians.
In her brief address prior to the ifatr, Khaleda said, “Our demand is very clear. We want a free and fair election which is not possible under the current regime.”
Claiming that no election was free and fair under the Awami-League-led government, the BNP chief said, “No institution, including the Election Commission, police and administration, can work independently under this government. So, the next lection must be held under a non-party administration which the current regime fears most.”
The former premier alleged that the government has been repressing people and plundering their money and property since it has come to power.
She mentioned that people have got fed up with the ‘misrule’ of this regime and said, “People want to get rid of this regime. We politicians work for materialising people’s hopes and aspirations. We need to work together to save people from the hands of the present corrupt and repressive government.”
Referring to the attacks by ‘Chhatra League cadres’ on the students staging peaceful demonstrations on the streets demanding cancellation of job quota system, the BNP chief said people from all walks of life are not safe under this government.
“Now we all need to get united to wage a strong movement to ensure the fall of the government… let’s pray to the Almighty Allah in this holy month of Ramadan so that He frees the country and its people from the grasp of this repressive regime,” she added.
Earlier senior Jamaat leaders, including its nayeb-e-ameer AKM Nazir Ahmed received the BNP chairperson and other guests at the party.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, MK Anwar, Rafiqul Islam Miah, LDP Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmed and top leaders of Islami Oikya Jote, Jagpa, NPP, Democratic League, Labour Party, NDP, Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Jatiya Party and Islamic Party and other opposition parties and civil society members attended the Iftar party.
-UNB
