BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday said they would not sit in any talks with the government unless it passes a polls-time non-partisan government bill in parliament.
Khaleda, also the leader of the opposition, categorically said the 18-party would not accept Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the head of the election-time government.
Khaleda Zia was addressing a mammoth rally arranged by the BNP-led 18-party at Rangpur Zilla School ground in the afternoon.
Alleging that the government was carrying out ‘inhuman torture and repression’ against Jamaat-e-Islami top leaders by branding them as anti-liberation war elements, Khaleda Zia demanded the release of all the opposition leaders.
“The dialogue could be held only to determine who will head the non-party government. As long as a caretaker government bill is passed, there’ll be no dialogue,” she said adding, “Parliament will remain functional until October 24. Still, there’s time. Place a non-party caretaker government bill in parliament and pass it accordingly. Only then there could be a fair election with the participation of all parties.”
Khaleda went on: “You (PM) had not accepted retired and impartial chief justice KM Hasan as chief of the caretaker government in 2007. As you had not accepted him (KM Hasan), the question doesn’t arise to accept you (Hasina) as the chief of the polls-time government as you are a partisan prime minister and the chief of a political party.”
“You won’t be accepted. You must go and the election has to be held under a non-party caretaker government,” Khaleda told her audience.
Hundreds of people from different districts thronged the rally venue since 8:00am turning the venue and its surrounding areas into a human sea.
Khaleda Zia reached the venue at 3:40pm amid nonstop clapping and cheering of the audience, who listened to her braving heaving rains.
Khaleda alleged that the government has annulled the caretaker government system sensing its debacle if the election is held under a non-party administration.
She continued, “I, therefore, urge the government to create a level-playing field to hold a free and fair election. I have only one demand — hold the election under a non-partisan government. Or else, we’ll take to the streets.”
Accusing the government of trying to hold a lopsided election, Khaleda said a strong resistance will have to be created to thwart government’s such move.
“I am not here to seek vote rather to resist any move to hold a one-sided election in the country. We must thwart the Awami League’s any ill-effort to arrange stage-managed polls,” she said.
Over torture on Jamaat-Shibir, she said, “The way the government has been carrying out repressive acts against Jamaat leaders, especially Shibir president, is unprecedented,” Khaleda, also the chief of the BNP-Jamaat-led 18-party opposition alliance.
Apparently backtracking from her earlier stance over the EC, Khaleda said, “I tell the EC, you, never arrange any one-sided election and you can’t do that. If you act as the ‘yes men’ of the government, you must go.”
On September 8 at a rally in Narsingdi, Khaleda had demanded the resignation of the incumbent Election Commission branding it worthless and spineless.
In a strong note of warning, the BNP chief asked the police, civil and other administrative officials not to assist the current regime if it tries to hold a one-sided election.
“Don’t obey the government’s illegal orders. If you carry out the illegal orders, people will identify you. Keep it in mind that this government will be out in three months after the expiry of its term,” she warned.
The former premier alleged that the government is enacting new laws to snatch people’s democratic rights of holding rallies, processions and observing hartals, blockades and sit-in. “If the government formulates any law to snatch people’s democratic rights, we’ll be out there on the streets to resist it.”
In her around over 40 minutes of address, Khaleda also harshly criticized the government for what she said its failure to run the state, fulfill its election pledges, carry out development activities, reining in price hike of essentials and corruption, plundering, terrorism, killing, abduction and repressive acts.
Khaleda lamented that though they had taken an initiative to establish a science and technology university in Rangpur, the current government did not implement it.
She assured the people of Rangpur of establishing the university and carry out huge development activities in the region if her party returns to power.
A good number of leaders and activists of ruling Awami League and Jatiya Party, including Taraganj Upazila chairman Nurun Nabi Dulal and ex-JP MPs, Mohammad Ali Sarker and Shah Sulaiman Alam Kazi, joined BNP presenting bouquets to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in the rally.
The BNP chairperson will stay overnight in Bogra Circuit house as she is scheduled to address another public rally in Rajshahi on Monday.
Earlier, on Saturday, the leader of the opposition left the capital embarking on her three-day tour of the country’s northern region and reached Rangpur around 11:50pm after staying overnight in Bogra Circuit House.
Source: UNBConnect
