The government will not arrest BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia right now, but it is set on taking tough position against the subversive acts carried out during the ongoing blockade and hartal programmes.
Also, the joint forces’ drives will continue across the country, as well as the mass arrest of BNP-led 20-party alliance activists.
The decisions came at an emergency meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Party (ALPP) held at the conference room in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban last night. The meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Sources from the meeting said the party’s lawmakers suggested that the prime minister suspend the ongoing session of the 10th parliament.
All the attendees agreed and said every lawmaker should go to his or her constituency and instruct the local activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations to resist BNP-Jamaat’s sabotage and secret attacks.
Hearing the suggestion, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina said: “BNP-Jamaat’s activities are intolerable. That is why the government is going to be tough on them.”
The government can arrest the BNP chief any time, but that would drive the saboteurs to kill more innocent people by hurling petrol bombs, the meeting source quoted the prime minister as saying.
“However, the government will not arrest her [Khaleda] right now. But if the BNP chief continues the violent activities for long, we will take action against her,” she said.
The premier also agreed to suspend the parliamentary session, most likely on Wednesday with her speech, the meeting source said.
The prime minister also directed her party’s lawmakers to create a public opinion against the destructive politics of the BNP-Jamaat alliance.
She said all leaders and activists of the party would have to join hands to save the life and property of the general people from the destructive acts of the BNP-Jamaat nexus.
After the meeting ended, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed told journalists that they had urged the prime minister to be more tough on the troublemakers for the nation’s welfare.
Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahabub-ul Alam Hanif told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have decided on how to resist BNP-Jamaat’s destructive activities. We also planned on how to conduct the SSC examinations properly.”
In reply to a question regarding the BNP chief’s arrest, Hanif said: “We did not make any decision.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune