BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said the Prime Minister is making unguarded remarks as she has became desperate following the ruling grand alliance’s defeat in five city corporation elections.
“The Prime Minster has got desperate following the ruling party’s defeat in the elections to five city corporations. She is making such remarks that people are saying she has lost her mind,” he told a protest meeting.
The Dhaka city unit of BNP arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club protesting the “indecent remarks” by the Prime Minister and her son against BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman.
Criticising the Prime Minister for her remarks against Tarique, Fakhrul said Sheikh Hasina and her party fears the BNP senior vice chairman as he pursues positive politics.
Fakhrul also warned the government that they will not allow it to hold a one-sided stage-managed election. “People won’t let you implement your blueprint in the name of election under a party government.”
Reiterating his party’s stance that it will not join the polls if it is held under a non-party government, he said, “We want to clearly state that no election will be allowed to be held without the restoration of the non-party caretaker government system.”
Fakhrul unequivocally said the opposition will not accept if the Election Commission (EC) amended the election code of conduct to enable the Prime Minister and ministers to take part in electioneering during the general election.
Questioning the neutrality of the EC, he said BNP has been opposing the commission since its formation. “They’re now amending the constitution to arrange the next polls under a partisan government.”
According to media reports, the EC has recently drafted an amendment to the election code of conduct.
As per the provision of the draft amendment, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 20 other ministers picked by her will be able to join the polls campaign without resigning from their posts if the general election is held under a party government.
Opposing the EC’s move, Fakhrul said the commission has taken steps for the amendment without consolation with the political parties. “We won’t accept the amendment. The commission must go if it works as a subservient institution of the government.”
He was also critical of the Prime Minister for her remarks at an Iftar party at Jatiya Press Club that she was the only leader who oppose the 1/11 army-backed interim regime, saying it is her false claim.
The people of the country did not forget that Sheikh Hasina had described the Fakhruddin-Moeenuddin government as the result of their movement, the BNP leader said, adding, “The Prime Minister deceive people by speaking lies.”
Addressing the programme, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said the government is heading towards the path of violence with its rigid stance to arrange the next polls under a party government.
Referring to Prime Minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy’s recent remarks that he has information that Awami League will return to power, the BNP leader said what Joy revealed is his mother’s intention to hold a lopsided and stage-managed election to return to power without people’s mandate.
He also alleged that the government could not remove the mistrust, misunderstanding and bitterness created with the opposition. “They even can’t create any atmosphere for reaching a negotiation.”
Chaired by Dhaka city unit BNP convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka, the programme was addressed by, among others, BNP standing committee members Rafiqul Islam Miah, Mirza Abbas, joint secretaries general Barkatullah Bulu and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Source: UNBConnect