Caretaker govt first and then dialouge: Fakhrul

Staff Reporter :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the people of Bangladesh will not be deceived for the third time by participating in the next polls under the Awami League regime.
He said that firstly the regime have to settle the caretaker government issue as it is now the most pressing matter for the people,” Mirza Fakhruls said while addressing at a discussion.
Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), marking the first death anniversary of the organisation’s founding president

and former BNP MP and state minister Advocate Gautam Chakraborty.
Mirza Fakhrul said Awami League is against the election under a non-party impartial government as the party knows very well that it will not get more than 10pc votes in credible polls because of its widespread plundering and misrules.

“Awami League leaders and ministers are saying the caretaker government is now a dead issue. Why is it a dead issue? This is the most alive issue now,” Mirza Fakhrul said.
“The people of Bangladesh witnessed the parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2018. They won’t go back to face that situation again. There’s no question of doing it,” the BNP leader said.
He said their party took part in talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before the 2018 polls with the hope of creating an atmosphere for a neutral election through discussions, but they were deceived.
“We have been cheated twice (in the 2014 and 2018 elections). We would like to say it clearly that the people of Bangladesh are not at all ready to be cheated again for the third time. The people wouldn’t let their feet fall into the trap again,” he said. The next national polls must be held under a non-party caretaker government as the current regime has completely destroyed the voting and election system in the country, he added.

Referring to Law Minister Anisul Huq’s comment in parliament that no one will be arrested during the next election as the administration will remain under the Election Commission, Mirza Fakhrul questioned, “Who will believe these words? It is like the story of liar cowboy and the tiger.” “We want to say clearly, no one will be misguided by these words of the current regime. Because you have never kept any promises that you made before the nation.”
The BNP leader suggested the government to step down and dissolve parliament by handing over power to a non-party caretaker government, creating scope for holding an inclusive polls.