BNP stages mass rally: Govt asked to step down with dignity
Staff Reporter :
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday brought out mass processions in Dhaka and other cities across the country to press home their one point demand of resignation of the Awami League regime and hold polls under neutral government.
Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate organisations attended the processions, carrying banners, festoons, and portraits of the party’s top leaders.
BNP’s Dhaka South and North City units brought out separate processions in the capitals Doyaganj and Gulshan areas respectively in the afternoon.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the Dhaka South city unit’s procession at Doyaganj at about 3:50pm. The procession ended at the party’s Naya Paltan central office after parading through different roads.
In a brief address prior to launching the programme, Mirza Fakhrul said the government has made new plan of stealing people’s money in the name of ‘universal pension scheme’.
“It is their new tricks of plundering people’s money in the name of pension scheme.
They planned to do vote by stealing people’s money,” Mirza Fakhrul said.
The BNP leader slammed the government for oppressing the opposition leaders and activists to suppress the ongoing movement.
“The government had made the entire country a apparently jail.
They arrested our many leaders out of fear of losing power,” he said.
Mirza Fakhruls warned the law enforcers, who are arresting BNP leaders and activists, saying nine of them who amassed wealth in the USA now can’t go there.
Besides, he said different rights bodies are urging the USA to impose more sanctions on Bangladesh to ensure fair polls.
The BNP leader urged the government to quit with dignity by handing over power to a non-party neutral government to pave way for holding the next polls under in acceptable manner.
Besides, he demanded the government immediately release ailing BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia without any condition and take steps for her treatment abroad.
BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas inaugurated the Dhaka north city unit BNP’s procession near the DCC market in the city’s Gulshan area.
Speaking at a brief rally, Mirza Abbas said that the ruling party leaders were resorting to lies to mislead people as they have been in power stealing votes.
“The government has been using the state machinery to subdue the opposition in a bid to cling to power. But the people of the country would not give them such a chance again,” Mirza Abbas said.
The BNP leader urged the government officials and employees to play their role neutrally and stop harassing and oppressing the opposition leaders and activists.
He also urged the government to allow Khaleda Zia to go abroad for her advanced medical treatment.
“If the government fails to meet our demand, We will wage a fierce movement to ensure her unconditional release from jail and her treatment abroad,” the BNP leader said.
Later, the BNP leaders and activists brought out the procession that ended at Mohakhali Bus Station.
Apart from the BNP, Ganotantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, LDP, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote, Gonotantrik Bam Oikya,12-party alliance, Labour Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), NDM, Bangladesh Sadaran Chhatra Odhikar Sanrakshan Parishad and two factions of Gono Odhikar Parishad also observed the programme separately in different areas of the capital.