Minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta on Friday warned that the government will not allow the BNP-Jamaat men to reenact the May 5 Hefajat-like mayhem in the name of holding any rally in the capital.
“You’ll go for another Hefajat-like anarchy after October 24 and an elected government will be idle spectators, it can’t be,” he said, as the main opposition BNP plans to hold a public rally in the capital on October 25, coinciding with the ruling Awami League’s programme.
Suranjit came up with the note of warning while speaking as chief guest at a discussion at the auditorium of the Institution of Diploma Engineers in the capital in the morning.
The discussion, organized by Nouka Samarthak Gosthi, a platform of supporters of Awami League’s electoral symbol ‘boat’, was chaired by its vice president Nazmul Haque Nasim.
Suranjit, also an AL advisory council member, said: “There is no scope of spreading panic over October 24. Whatever BNP now plans won’t come true. Parliament will be in place even after October 24.”
He said there is no confusion that the prime minister and the cabinet will remain in place after October 25 as the parliament will be in place at the time. The parliament will resume session on October 23 and the session will continue until the tasks are completed.
Turning to a recent survey conducted by a national daily, the veteran AL lawmaker said it showed that Awami League’s popularity has increased.
“None of us has yet engaged in (electoral) campaign. Only our leader (Sheikh Hasina) did. If we all will engage in the campaign, Awami League’s popularity will increase to 45 percent whereas BNP’s popularity will come down to 43,” he said, though questioning the authenticity of the survey.
Criticizing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, Suranjit said the leader of opposition wants to “snatch away the franchise of the people forming polling station-based Songram Committees.”
Source: UNB Connect
