Reminding the opposition that no government could be unseated through such agitation programmes, Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam on Sunday alleged that opposition leader Khaleda Zia wanted to stage a drama and she has been successful to do that.
“She wanted to stage a drama and she has been successful to do that. Many people got entertained with her drama,” he said referring to Khaleda Zia’s bid to come out of her Gulshan house and subsequent media briefing.
Syed Ashraf was addressing a press conference at AL chief’s Dhanmondi office to brief reporters about the opposition’s much-hyped ‘March for Democracy’ programme.
“Such drama might have entertained many people, but I didn’t enjoy it. She is the two-time prime minister. We want to see something more serious from her,” the AL general secretary said.
Ashraf said the opposition leader was supposed to go to her party office after 10 am. “But we saw her after 3pm getting up from her bed. This proves she had the lack of sincerity,” he added.
In this connection, the AL spokesperson said if Khaleda had wanted to be in the programme in due time she would have got up from her bed before 10 am.
Talking about her dress-up, Ashraf said it seemed that she was going to join a party, not any political programme. “You have to put on proper dress for a war,” he said.
He said the intention of the opposition leader was to stage a drama. “She or her party didn’t apply to the police authorities for ensuring security to go the programme,” the AL leader said.
Criticising Khaleda Zia’s attitude towards the police, Ashraf said this cannot be the behaviour of an opposition leader. “It’s unfortunate and I strongly condemn such attitude to the police,” he said.
He further said no political party could be toppled in the past through such agitation programmes. “And this won’t happen this time, too,” he added.
Neither common people nor BNP activists turned up in today’s programme, said Ashraf adding, “BNP has failed to take people on their board as they’ve no involvement in the party programme. The people of the country have rejected her (Khaleda’s) all programmes.”
About the incident on the Supreme Court premises during the March for Democracy hours, Syed Ashraf said lawyers were not involved in the programme. The activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal and Chhatra Shibir were taken there in lawyers’ dresses. BNP leaders Altaf Chowdhury, Osman Faruk and Mahbubur Rahman led it though they aren’t registered with Dhaka Bar.”
The party which was born in the cantonment cannot work for people and democracy. “It’s not possible for Khaleda Zia to take forward democracy in the country.”
Syed Ashraf came down hard on civil society members for their suggestion to defer the 10th parliamentary polls and said “Their main aim is to create such a situation for the emergence of 1/11-like government. In fact, it’s a party forum led by BNP leaders.”
Ashraf went on: “Why should we defer the polls? We have the full right to change the country’s constitution as per the Supreme Court verdict.”
Mentioning that the January 5 polls will be held in a free fair manner, the ruling party leader said the election is very important to maintain the normalcy of democracy. “In case of the polls deferment, a dreadful situation might arise for the nation. People will make the election successful together. It will help the forward march of democracy.”
“People want the January 5 polls to be held in peaceful manner. Through the polls, the winning party will form the government any time in January and govern the country,” he added.
About the allegation of BNP leaders over withdrawing Khaleda Zia’s protocol, the LGRD minister said it is not possible to withdraw her protocol as long as she remains in the post.
The AL general secretary denied any type of obstruction to vehicular movement from Dhaka city to other parts of the country saying there is no need from the government’s part to obstruct vehicular movement as a significant number of people do not take part in their programmes.
AL leaders Obaidul Quader, Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Ahmed Hossain were, among others, present at the press conference.
Source: UNBConnect
