AL govt must resign, hand over power to neutral govt: Mirza Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the Awami League government must resign and hand over power to a neutral government before the next general election.

Addressing the BNP's youth rally at Kazir Dewri intersection in Chattogram city on Wednesday, he also called for the dissolution of parliament and reformation of the Election Commission.

"In the last 15 years, more than four lakh youths have become new voters. They could not exercise their right to vote. So, to reclaim the voting rights of the people, the youth must be ready to fight to take back Bangladesh. We cannot return home until victory is assured," the BNP leader said.

Mirza Fakhrul said, "The Awami League has been in power for the last two terms through trickery. The independence of Bangladesh and the future of the youth are under threat today. People are afraid to go to the market [due to inflation]. Young people, farmers and businessmen are in the most miserable condition."

"Only those who are involved with Awami League politics are having a good time. They laundered the country's money abroad. There is no electricity in the country, and now there is no money to pay for import bills. They [ruling party men] will have to account for all this. No one will be spared," he said.

Mentioning that more than 600 people have disappeared and murdered in the last 15 years, Fakhrul said, "Ilias Ali has been gone for 10 years now. His little daughter has grown up today and is looking for her father. Another girl 'Safa' was in her mother's womb when her father, Chhatra Dal leader Mahfuzur Rahman Sohail, went missing. Now she wants her father back, but we have no answer to comfort her."

"Who committed all these disappearances, using the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)? Now they are trembling in fear of American sanctions. There is no escape for those who stole votes at night," said Fakhrul.

Condemning the attack on Charmonai Pir Faizul Karim, a mayoral candidate in the Barishal city polls, during the voting, Fakhrul said, "The Awami League has destroyed the electoral system. Defeated by Jahangir's mother in the Gazipur city polls, its activists swooped on the Charmonai Pir in Barishal without any hesitation."

Although the rally started at 3 pm on Wednesday, hundreds of BNP leaders and activists gathered around the rally ground from Tuesday night. 

As the day progressed, the crowd spread beyond the Kazir Dewri intersection to Wasa and Chatteshwari intersection in the north, Love Lane of Noor Ahmed Road in the south, CRB and Lalkhan Bazar in the west and Jamalkhan in the east.

Chattogram Swechasebak League President HM Rashed Khan told The Business Standard that at least 70,000 people joined the rally. 

However, Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jahidul Kabir told TBS, "Approximately 40,000 people gathered in and around the rally ground."

Clash between Chhatra League, Chhatra Dal

An incident of chase and counter-chase took place between activists of the ruling party's student wing Chhatra League and attendees at the BNP youth rally. 

Two Chhatra Dal activists were injured in the incident that took place in front of Chittagong College in Chawkbazar in the city at around 3:30 pm on Wednesday. 

Chhatra Dal activists reportedly vandalised Bangabandhu's mural and the CCTV cameras in front of the Zilla Lok Proshashon Kendra in the Jamalkhan area of the city.

Jahidul Kabir, OC of Kotwali Police Station, told The Business Standard, "The Chhatra Dal activists vandalised Bangabandhu's mural while bringing out a procession towards the rally ground. At the same time, they vandalised the CCTV cameras in front of the Lok Proshashon Kendra. Attempts are being made to identify them by watching CCTV footage."