The government will not arrest BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia right now, but it is set on taking tough position against the subversive acts carried out during the ongoing blockade and hartal programmes.
Also, the joint forces’ drives will continue across the country, as well as the mass arrest of BNP-led 20-party alliance activists.
The decisions came at an emergency meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Party (ALPP) held at the conference room in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban last night. The meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Sources from the meeting said the party’s lawmakers suggested that the prime minister suspend the ongoing session of the 10th parliament.
All the attendees agreed and said every lawmaker should go to his or her constituency and instruct the local activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations to resist BNP-Jamaat’s sabotage and secret attacks.
Hearing the suggestion, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina said: “BNP-Jamaat’s activities are intolerable. That is why the government is going to be tough on them.”
The government can arrest the BNP chief any time, but that would drive the saboteurs to kill more innocent people by hurling petrol bombs, the meeting source quoted the prime minister as saying.
“However, the government will not arrest her [Khaleda] right now. But if the BNP chief continues the violent activities for long, we will take action against her,” she said.
The premier also agreed to suspend the parliamentary session, most likely on Wednesday with her speech, the meeting source said.
The prime minister also directed her party’s lawmakers to create a public opinion against the destructive politics of the BNP-Jamaat alliance.
She said all leaders and activists of the party would have to join hands to save the life and property of the general people from the destructive acts of the BNP-Jamaat nexus.
After the meeting ended, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed told journalists that they had urged the prime minister to be more tough on the troublemakers for the nation’s welfare.
Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahabub-ul Alam Hanif told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have decided on how to resist BNP-Jamaat’s destructive activities. We also planned on how to conduct the SSC examinations properly.”
In reply to a question regarding the BNP chief’s arrest, Hanif said: “We did not make any decision.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune
http://www.mzamin.com/details.php?mzamin=NjIwMjI=&s=MQ==
http://www.amadershomoys.com/newsite/2015/02/02/204460.htm#.VM9USi6E7Nk
http://www.now-bd.com/2015/02/01/371826.htm
http://www.amadershomoys.com/newsite/2015/02/02/204327.htm
The above news and recent softer tones of the government head and her ministers indicate that Hasina government has no other choices but to bow down to people’s demand for a fair and inclusive election under a neutral government. India is also backing such move. However, one must not forget that these all were possible only because BNP and its allies could carry out relentless and fierce resistance. Credit goes to the uncompromising grassroots workers.
More and more common people are getting engaged into the current movement which is why it has been possible to carry out such relentless resistance. There are indications that it will be more participative in the coming days. Things like not being able to take SSC exam cannot be a big deal. Because, keep aside exams, I didn’t even attend any class during the nine months of our liberation war. Never mind, we have to sacrifice smaller things for the greater achievements.
BNP and its allies must not feel about about people’s sufferings because, BNP led 20 Party opposition showed maximum restraint (for last 12 months) for a peaceful settlement of the current political deadlock by dialogue in order to hold an election that is acceptable to the people. Hasina’s regime unfortunately not only showed a cold shoulder to this legitimate demand of the people, she herself and her party leaders ridiculed BNP’s capacity for any movement to challenge the government. Therefore, Hasina will have to take all responsibilities for all these sufferings of the people. She must come forward to start dialogues, so that a fair and inclusive can take place in Bangladesh ASAP, these sufferings stop and whoever is elected by the people can run the government and peace returns.