It says nation grappling with all-pervasive crisis
In a statement, BNP standing committee members also called upon the government to restore a healthy and normal situation in the country and ensure people’s voting rights for peaceful power transfer by shunning indecent, aggressive and false propaganda, state-sponsored terrorism, violence, killing and repression.
The fresh call came in a resolution adopted at the BNP standing committee’s meeting held with party chairperson Khaleda Zia in the chair at her Gulshan office on Wednesday night.
The BNP policymakers also expressed deep concern over the country’s existing sociopolitical and economic conditions, and law and order situation, the statement said.
“The country has been pushed towards an anarchic situation due to the government’s failures on all fronts, its misrule, corruption, terrorism, chaos and lack of coordination, and unguarded and provocative remarks of responsible persons and their whimsical behaviour,” it added.
Mentioning that the nation is grappling with an all-pervasive crisis, the BNP standing committee said never the country saw such a conflicting and uncertain situation in the past.
Criticising the government’s ban on public meetings and rallies, the party said, “The government wants to obliterate democracy by reestablishing undeclared one-party Baksal rule. They snatched the democratic rights of holding rallies and meetings through an obscure and unlawful order to gain their ill-motive.”
The BNP policymakers said they in no way can accept the violent late night crackdown on Hefajat activists at Shapla Chattar on May 5 ‘in an absurd plea’ that the government may be ousted if the Islamist group’s sit-in continues till morning.
Apparently rejecting the government’s accusation that BNP patronised Hefajat, the party said, “BNP neither believes in terrorist acts nor in conspiracies to oust the government.”
The party policymakers also protested and condemned the wholesale arrest of 18-party leaders and activists, including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in ‘false’ cases.
Criticising the government for attacking the opposition’s rallies and programmes, the party leaders alleged that the government has been carrying out mass killing by using the law enforcement agencies alongside letting loose the ruling party cadres.
Refereeing to BNP chairperson’s 48-hour ultimatum from May 4 Shapla Chattar rally to the government to sit in dialogue over the caretaker government issue and Khaleda’s invitation to the PM for having tea, the party policymaker observed that the government has missed an opportunity for reaching a consensus by not responding to the call.
Slamming the government for shutting down Diganta TV and Islamic Television, the party said it enchained the freedom of expression with this move. ”No autocratic regime can hang onto power in such a way.”
It also denounced the government’s control and vigil on social media.
The party also urged the nation to observe the death anniversary of party founder late president Ziaur Rahman on may 30 with due respect.
