BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday accused the government of snatching people’s democratic rights by imposing a ban on holding rallies and meetings in the capital.
“Using the police, the government has imposed a ban on holding political meetings and rallies so that the opposition can’t carry on its movement in favour of the non-party caretaker government as it emerged as a mass demand,” he said.
Fakhrul came up with the remarks at a discussion hours after the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed a ban on holding any kind of rally and bringing out procession in the capital from 6 am on Sunday.
Desh Matrika Parishad organised the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club.
Terming the present situation suffocating one where no one can deliver speech or take to the streets, Fakhrul said the government is resorting to double standard.
“On one hand, the Prime Minister in her address to the nation has urged for saving democracy and on the other they’re snatching people’s democratic rights through imposing a ban on meetings and rallies,” the BNP leader said.
He alleged that there is no sign in the country that democracy exists here. “Had the Prime Minister been democratic, police wouldn’t have imposed the ban,” said Fakhrul.
The ban was imposed only to suppress the ongoing movement of BNP, said Fakhrul, adding that the government is unlikely to gain anything from it. “Take lesson from the history. We’ll give a befitting reply to restrictions through our movement,” he added.
Source: UNBConnect