“A fresh Election Commission must be constituted under the neutral government to conduct a credible election for establishing a government and a parliament of the people.”
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said the people have woken up and the Awami League government that has established “autocracy” would be washed away by the strong wave of their movement.
Speaking at a rally in Mymensingh, he also said the recent by-election to Gaibandha-5 has proved BNP’s observation that a fair election cannot be held under the AL government.
Fakhul said the government must quit and dissolve parliament by forming a neutral government.
“A fresh Election Commission must be constituted under the neutral government to conduct a credible election for establishing a government and a parliament of the people.”
As part of the party’s planned divisional programmes, Mymensingh city BNP organised the rally on the Polytechnic Institute ground. Thousands of activists and leaders attended rally, presided over the unit’s Convener Prof AKM Shafiqul Islam.
A chair was left vacant on the stage for the chief guest — BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The rally was organised to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuel, the death of five party men in police actions in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jashore, and to demand Khaleda’s unconditional release.
BNP leaders and activists from Mymensingh, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Netrakona, Tangail, and Kishoreganj thronged the rally braving various obstacles, threats, and attacks on their way.
The Polytechnic Institute was packed and the air was filled with slogans and the beats of drums.
The BNP alleged that an undeclared transport strike was enforced in Mymensingh division to prevent BNP men from joining the rally.
Fakhrul, in his speech, said their party, if voted to power, would restore democracy, lower the prices of daily essentials, fuel, and establish peace in the country.
Amid claps and slogans against the AL government, Fakhrul said, “People have now woken up. The Awami League will be swept away by the turbulent wave of our movement from Teknaf to Tentulia,”
Yesterday’s rally was the second BNP rally at the divisional level. The first one was held in Chattogram on Wednesday. The party would conclude the rallies with a mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10.
Fakhrul said, “It’s a great victory. The brave sons of Mymensingh have demonstrated that they’re ready to make any kind of sacrifice to protect democracy.”
He added that their men overcoming all barriers and odds have sent a message that the people of Bangladesh would no longer bow down.
“They must free this country from misrule.”
He further said, “They [AL] have done the biggest damage by destroying the election system and depriving us of our ownership of the country and our right to change the government after every five years through votes.”
The BNP leader also said the government must free Khaleda without any condition and withdraw all political cases against opposition leaders and activists.
“We’ll surely force this regime to quit and hold the election under a non-party administration through the united efforts of people.”
(Our Mymensingh correspondent contributed to this report)
