BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday asked the government to quit handing over power to a neutral administration for holding a credible national election.
“Since the BDR incident that killed 57 army officers, the government has failed to check the frequent incidents of killing. Such incidents are happening one after another. So, it should resign by transferring power to a neutral government paving the path for a free and fair election,” she said.
Khaleda made the demand while exchanging greetings with journalists at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, marking Eid-ul-Fitr.
Earlier, she exchanged Eid pleasantries with foreign diplomats, imminent citizens and people from all walks of lives at the same venue.
The BNP chief voiced deep concern over the crude bomb attack near the country’s largest Eid congregation at Sholakia Eidgah in Sadar upazila of Kishoreganj in this morning. “The terror attack on an Eid congregation is very unfortunate. We’re profoundly saddened over the incident.”
She observed that people are celebrating the Eid this year in a sombre mood following the country’s deadliest terrorist attack at a café in Gulshan on Friday night.
At least four people, including two police members, were killed and 10-15 others injured in a bomb explosion followed by a volley of gunfire near the country’s largest Eid congregation at Sholakia.
Earlier on Friday night, terrorists attacked Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan and killed at least 22 civilians, including 17 foreigners, three Bangladeshis, and two senior police official before security forces stormed the building and ended a 12-hour standoff.
Khaleda said it is now essential to forge a national unity to stop recurring brutal incidents in the country. “But, we’re seeing the usurper and unelected government is making unguarded remarks and indulging in a blame game instead of consoling the country’s people and uniting them.”
She also alleged that government is also detaining and repressing opposition leaders and activists instead of arresting real offenders involved in the heinous incidents.
The BNP chief warned that it will be very difficult to get rid of terror attacks if the perpetrators of recent incidents have not been arrested and and the issue is dealt with an iron hand.
Noting with concern that fresh threats are being issued through different social media platforms to launch similar attacks in the country, she doubted the government’s preparation to tackle those.
Khaleda questioned as to why the government took so much time to launch a commando operation to rescue the hostages at Gulshan café.
“Why did they wait until morning and take so much time (to conduct the operation? We’ve seen only dead bodies in the morning. We didn’t see any big and successful operation. I would like to say it’s the government’s failure and negligence. The incident took place due to the government’s incompetence. They couldn’t yet properly tackle any incident and arrest any real offenders,” she said.
The BNP chairperson alleged that police could not deal with Gulshan café incident as they have lost their capacity for being used to suppress opposition by indulging in extortion and ‘arrest businesses’. “Police and RAB couldn’t do anything to tackle the incident. Everything had already been over when the Army was called out.”
“On this Eid day, I would like to say we don’t want to see such incidents in the country,” the BNP chief said.
She observed that the country is now facing such a terrible situation as there is no rule of law, democracy, good governance, justice and freedom of expression. “It’s imperative to overcome the situation through holding a fair election. “It’s not possible to maintain peace and smooth development in a country which lacks democracy and an elected government.”
Source: Prothom-Alo