No elections under Sheikh Hasina, reiterates Fakhrul at Dhaka rally
Entire country has come together to overthrow the government, Mirza Abbas says
No election will be allowed in the country under Sheikh Hasina, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has reiterated.
"The incumbent government does not allow anyone to cast a vote [in elections]. It snatches away everything by force. The government is using the constitution as an excuse to ignore the call of the democratic countries for fair elections [in Bangladesh] under a non-partisan government," he said.
Mirza Fakhrul, as chief guest, was addressing a rally in the capital's Abdullahpur, organised by the Dhaka North BNP, to press home the party's one-point demand for the resignation of the Awami League government and the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
"We are holding foot and road marches. The people are with us. We would like to clearly say that there will be no election under Sheikh Hasina. We didn't ask for much. We just want the government to quit and give a fair election," he said.
Mentioning that the Awami League government had manipulated the constitution, Fakhrul added, "The government must be defeated through the movement. Elections must be held under a non-partisan neutral government."
Referring to the European Union's (EU) decision not to send observers during the 12th parliamentary polls in Bangladesh, the BNP secretary general said, "They said there is no election environment in Bangladesh, and that is why they will not send an observation team. The whole world knows it."
He also called upon the government to dissolve parliament, stating, "Even the Jatiya Party has said that if the government does not resign, fair elections are not possible in the country. Sheikh Hasina has to resign in the interest of a fair election."
Fakhrul also alleged that the government is preventing Khaleda Zia from receiving vital medical treatment abroad, even though it has become a matter of life and death for her.
"Khaleda Zia is currently the most oppressed and deprived individual in the country. She is being held captive as an act of political vengeance by the government," he said.
Addressing a rally organised by the Dhaka South BNP in Jatrabari yesterday, Mirza Abbas, a Standing Committee member of the BNP, said, "Today, entire Bangladesh has come together to overthrow the government. Rallies and foot and road marches are taking place… We do not want to see the tyrant and looter government in power."
"We don't want to come to power, we want to bring back the right to vote and freedom of speech to the people of the country," he added.
Urging people to prepare for dethroning the government, Abbas stated, "It wants to stay in power through killings, forced disappearances and torture. Its greed for power remains unfulfilled even after 15 years. Hitler, Mussolini and Ayub Khan could not survive. They all had to quit power, and had to be punished."
The rally in Jatrabari was chaired by Dhaka South BNP Convener Abdus Salam, while the Abdullahpur rally was presided over by Dhaka North BNP Acting Convener Farhad Haleem Donar.