Opposition BNP on Sunday accused the government of resorting to unprecedented autocratic path to foil its peaceful programme of ‘March for Democracy’.
In a statement, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam said, ”The government is trying to hold a farcical election on January 5 to establish a one-party rule under different covers to cling to power.”
He alleged that the government stopped the movement of vehicles, rails and vessels in the last two days in bid to foil their programme.
The BNP leader also said the government through mass arrest in every district and the ruling party cadres with their processions equipped with sticks tried to suppress their democratic movement.
Claiming that the government has kept Khaleda confined to her Gulshan residence by deploying additional law enforcers since Saturday night, Fakhrul said the government showed disregard to all norms and principles of democracy by resisting the opposition leader from joining their scheduled programme.
He alleged that the government also resorted to the path of unprecedented torture to make its power absolute. “The country’s people won’t allow them to materialise their evil motive.”
The BNP leader also denounced the assaults on opposition leaders and activists and attacks on journalists, lawyers and Dhaka University teachers allegedly by the ruling party men as they separately tried to join the opposition’s programme.
Fakhrul said their programme, March for Democracy, will continue on Monday in Dhaka, protesting the obstruction to their peaceful programme, illegal confinement of Khaleda Zia, gunning down political activists and attacks on journalists and lawyers by Awami League ‘cadres’.
Besides, he said, the opposition will observe sit-in programmes in all divisional cities, district towns and upazila headquarters on Monday. “This movement is peaceful and democratic. The government will have to shoulder the responsibility for the emerging situation if it obstructs the movement.”
Source: UNBConnect