Khaleda Zia has said her party’s post-Eid movement for fresh polls under an interim government will be an orderly programme.
The BNP chairperson exchanged Eid greetings at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Tuesday morning.
She spoke to reporters after meeting diplomats and eminent citizens.
There was no election on Jan 5 since the “world did not accept that election”, the former prime minister asserted.
“We need a fair election immediately to re-establish democracy and protect human rights in the country. This is the people’s demand,” she said.
“We must forget our differences and achieve national unanimity on this issue’” she said.
Ever since it boycotted the 10th national elections, the BNP has been calling for early polls, a demand the ruling party has dismissed.
Khaleda then announced that the BNP-led alliance would start a movement after Eid.
Reacting to the plan, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had told the BNP to wait five years for an election and warned, “We will see them on the streets.”
Speaking about the planned movement, Khaleda said, “We believe in democracy. We will go ahead with a democratic and disciplined programme.”
“It was established during the Jan 5 elections that this government cannot conduct a fair election. We need to unite in order to have a fair national election. We must restore people’s voting right,” she said.
She greeted the nation and her party on Eid, saying, “Eid brings joy. But people have no joy in their lives. They spend time in distress, pain and frustration.”
The BNP chief claimed murder and abductions were taking place all over the country.
The former prime minister also decried the Israeli attack on Gaza and called on the United Nations to bring a ceasefire into effect immediately.
After exchanging Eid greetings, Khaleda visited her husband late president Ziaur Rahman’s grave and offered prayers.
Source: Bd news24
