The opposition cannot be made to give up the demand for a caretaker government by references to the results of the four city corporation polls, BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said.
All the Awami League-backed candidates suffered defeats at the four civic polls, which the ruling party leaders are citing as an example of fair polls under a political government.
The Acting Secretary General of BNP which has been campaigning for the reinstatement of the caretaker government provision, said on Wednesday, “The government wants to stage the election under itself by using the results of the city polls as example. They take the people to be such fools.”
“They want the opposition to join the elections by claiming that fair polls can be held under their administration. This is nothing more than the government’s illusive imagination.”
He made the remarks at a rally by Peshajibi Parishad at the National Press Club in Dhaka.
The BNP spokesperson said, “The opposition will not take part in any election without a non-party election-time government. We will deal with our demand by staging a movement if it is not fulfilled,” said Mirza Fakhrul.
He claimed the victory of opposition-backed candidates the city corporation polls last Saturday described how people had lost their faith in the government. At the same time, he claimed, they gave their consent through ballots to the demand for a neutral government to oversee the general elections.
After the Awami League-led government scrapped the provision for caretaker government with the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, the next general election will be held under Sheikh Hasina. But BNP is claiming the elections will not be fair and credible under the political government.
About the Prime Minister’s fear that a caretaker government might not stage an election like last time, Fakhrul said, “The Prime Minister has said the real thing. They said the real stuff to render their power eternal and absolute.”
“Because the 15th Amendment said the government can extend their time in power wihout staging elections. We believe this equals to sedition.”
The BNP leader was speaking in the program titled “Freedom of the press and release of Amar Desh Acting Editor Mahmudur Rahman”.
The government has been abusing the media,claimed Fakhrul and said the Awami League had shut Dainik Bangla, Bangladesh Times and Bichitra after they came to power in 1996. Now they have ‘closed’ Channel 1, Diganta Television, Islamic Television and Amar Desh’.
“The government is afraid of the media, they are detached from the people. That is why the Prime Minister makes negative comments on those who make criticisms over television and newspapers.”
The BNP leader in his address termed Mahmudur Rahman ‘outspoken, idealistic and a symbol of responsible journalism’.
Source: Bd news24