BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has expressed her party’s resolve to realise people’s rights, alleviate their plights, protect the country’s independence and sovereignty and to restore multi-party democracy.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief has, however, expressed hope that the government will pave the way for holding an immediate participatory election, in conformith with its pledge, to allow “revival of moribund democracy”.
Khaleda Zia, also a former prime minister and leader of the opposition in parliament, reiterated her party’s position on the latest politics, in a statement issued on Monday, ahead of the 37th anniversary of the BNP.
The party, founded by late president Ziaur Rahman, would celebrate its founding anniversary on Tuesday through different programmes.
Khaleda would pay homage to Ziaur Rahman, placing wreath at his graveyard in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar around 10:00am Tuesday, said a party press release. A discussion meeting is scheduled to be held in Dhaka in the afternoon.
“As a sleepless guard to the country’s independence and sovereignty and as a people’s political party, the BNP has always played a pivotal role in all national and political crises of the country,” Khaleda said in her statement.
She said, “Defying all odds and threats, the BNP along with the people firmly faced the challenges of anti-democratic evil and autocratic forces whenever the country’s democracy was put at stake or whenever democracy came under attack and eventually restored democracy.”
The BNP chairperson pledged that her party would play a strong role in the days to come in serving the people keeping their trust and confidence in tact.
She alleged the country’s law and order has dipped to a grave stage while skyrocketing of prices of essentials has put people in a suffocating situation.
She also alleged that the country is witnessing a spree of secret killings, enforced disappearances, terrorism, extortion, corruption, repression and torture.
The former prime minister mentioned that parliament has been empowered with provision for impeachment of the judges to trample the independence of the judiciary. “This law has been passed with an aim to provide the prime minister with absolute power over all of the state organs.”
Khaleda expressed her views that the last resort of the people to get justice has been destroyed with the passage of the law that has given parliament the authority to impeach the judges.
The BNP chief pointed out that the public adminstration has now been lethargic as it has been extremely “subservient” to the political masters instead of serving the people.
Source: Prothom Alo
