The ruling party will have to bear the responsibility if any unconstitutional government comes to power, says BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
His warning came on Monday, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked all to watch out for any undemocratic forces attempting to usurp power by taking advantage of political differences.
“We don’t know why the Prime Minister spoke about undemocratic forces. We want to make it clear that the government will be held responsible if any unconstitutional government comes into power,” Fakhrul said.
He was talking to reporters after placing wreaths on the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, with the recently elected Gazipur City Corporation Mayor MA Mannan by his side.
At Mannan’s oath-taking ceremony on Sunday, Hasina had said, “It is normal to have differences of opinion in a multi-party democratic system. But any undemocratic power should not assume office and play with people’s fate.”
Hasina’s remark came amid differences with the main opposition BNP over the nature of the election time government.
The general election will be held under the ruling government, as the 15th Constitutional Amendment made in 2011 scrapped the provision for the earlier caretaker system.
The opposition alliance, led by the BNP, has been on the streets since then, demanding its restoration, claiming polls under a party-led by would not be ‘free and fair’.
Fakhrul on Monday said, “The Prime Minister herself came to power through an election overseen by a caretaker government. Last three elections were held under caretaker government and were fair. But now they [the government] are not listening to the people’s demand.”The opposition will intensify the agitation if the government does not meet its demand, the BNP spokesperson warned.
The government has lost the support of the people, he said. “The people have given their mandate for the nonpartisan government in the recent (five) city corporations polls. We hope the government will come to its senses.”
Otherwise the government will be forced to accept the demand through agitation.
He also criticised the arrest of human rights group Odhikar’s Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan.
“Sending a human rights activist to remand shows the undemocratic behaviour of the government.”
Adilur Rahman Khan was arrested on Saturday night from Gulshan for over allegations of ‘distorting information’ over the May 5 police drive against the rampaging Hifazat-e Islam at Dhaka’s Motijheel.
Source: Bd news24