BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia called upon everyone to become united against the government which has pushed the country’s democracy towards death.
In a statement on Friday, the BNP chairperson said, “We have to take an oath of serious movement to oust the government which has established Bakshali rule (one party rule) in the country.”
In the statement signed by Assistant Office Secretary Abdul Latif Jonny, Khaleda Zia said democracy and basic human rights were not safe in the hands of the Awami League.
On January 25, 1975, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established Bakshal, a government of national unity, through the 4th amendment of the constitution, the statement said.
BNP along with like-minded parties observed January 25 as the day democracy was killed.
At that time, the Awami League passed an undemocratic law on the basis of muscle power defying the opinion of the opposition and the spirit of the Liberation War, the statement said.
Through the passage of the law, basic rights including freedom of expression, movement and organising were denied. Except four, all newspapers were closed down.
On November 7, 1975, through a united effort of sepoy-public (Shipai-Janata) under the leadership of Ziarur Rahman, multi-party democracy started its journey, Khaleda Zia said in her statement.
She said the Awami League had denied the voting rights of people by scraping the caretaker government system through the amendment of the constitution, fearing defeat if the election were held in a free and fair manner.
Terming the January 5 election a farce, Khaleda Zia said through that election the government was planning to prolong its tenure, not hesitating to destroy the unity of the country and endangering its sovereignty.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
