Fakhrul threatens, blaming govt for conspiracy to rig polls
A view of the BNP rally at Suhrawardy Uddyan in the capital on Wednesday.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned Wednesday that the opposition would go for a one-point demand to oust the government from the night of June 15 if their candidates lose in the city corporation polls due to government conspiracy.
“Since it (government) is certain that its candidates are going to lose in the city corporation elections, it is now hatching conspiracy to snatch the polls results,” Fakhrul said at a BNP rally at Suhrawardy Uddyan.
The BNP will not participate in the election without a caretaker government in place neither would it let the election to take place, he said.
“In 1996, Sheikh Hasina passed the caretaker government bill through 15th amendment in the constitution. Why is she making self contradictory statements now?” he asked.
BNP standing committee member Hannan Shah said they would raise tougher movement after the Ramadan to realise their demand of restoring caretaker government.
Several thousand BNP leaders and activists took part in the rally, which began around 3:00pm with BNP Vice-chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka in the chair.
On May 13, the BNP-led 18-party alliance sought permission from the government for holding a rally in the capital two days later.
Failing to get permission for the rally, the alliance announced a daylong hartal for May 19. They however withdrew the hartal call the same day considering the landfall of Cyclone Mahasen in the country’s coastal areas.
The home minister, meantime, said no meeting or demonstration would be allowed for an indefinite period in the capital in order to avert anarchy.
The BNP on June 10 again announced that it would hold a rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office on Wednesday (today).
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Tuesday gave BNP permission for holding a rally at Suhrawardy Uddyan instead of Nayapaltan.
Source: The Daily Star
