BNP places seven-point demand at grand rally

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Sunday made a seven-point demand including "unconditional release" of the party's jailed chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia before the announcement of election schedule.

From a grand rally at Suhrawardi Uddyan in the capital, it asked the government to step down by dissolving parliament and withdrew all the cases against political leaders, including BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman.

The party senior leaders demanded withdrawal of all cases against political leaders and not to file fresh litigation against during the poll days to ensure a free, fair and participatory national election.

Apart from Khaleda's release and nonpartisan election-time government, their other demands include the deployment of army with magistracy power, scrapping the electronic voting machines, and the presence of local and international observers during the elections.

To realise the demands, the party announced a host of fresh programmes from October 3 next when rallies will be held in each district. On the following day (October 4), the party will hold the same in metropolitan cities.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement from the grand rally where senior leaders of the party heavily criticised the government for destroying democracy and repressing leaders and workers of the opposition parties.

In the podium of the rally, the party leaders kept one chair vacant as a token for the jailed party chief and demanded immediate and unconditional release of Begum Zia.

Moderating the function, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the ruling Awami League got scared sensing that people are getting united against the misrule of the "autocratic government".

"That's why, they lodged ghost cases against our leaders and workers. Some 4,094 cases have been filed since September 01 last against 172,730 named and unnamed individuals and 4,319 of them have already been arrested," he said.

Citing Begum Zia, he said the chairperson called upon the party to get united and launch massive movement to protect democracy and the country as a whole.

Speaking as the chief guest, BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said various groups in responding to the call for the national unity by the party chairperson before her imprisonment reached a consensus against the autocratic government.

"Participatory election is not possible without Begum Zia and no election will be allowed to take place without her presence," he said.

He also called upon people in the judiciary, executives and law enforcement agencies to treat all equally.

Former minister and BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed was critical of the recent statements of some ruling party leaders.

The BNP will also respond accordingly if anyone tries to resist its programme, he said.

Terming the recently-passed digital security act-2018 a "black act", he said the government intentionally did it to prevent the media from reporting corruption of the ruling party men.

"It is against the freedom of expression and the spirit of the constitution. It should be scrapped. If we would come to power, we will cancel it within seven days," he added.

Former parliament speaker and BNP senior leader Zamir Uddin Sarker said the Election Commission needs to be reformed in consultation with all the stakeholders for the sake of fair elections.

BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said the demand for a national unity has already been raised due to misrule of the "illegal government".

"National unity is good…if it is not possible..no problem, BNP will continue its movement for democracy and rule of law," he said.

BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan urged the leaders and activists to take control of the streets shoulder to shoulder, which will force the government to accept the demands.

"Let's join hands and come to the streets," he added.

BNP senior leaders Abdullah Al Numan, Barrister Rafiqul Islam, Hafizuddin Ahmed, Goyeswar Chandro Roy, Joynal Abedin and Mahbubuddin Khokon, among others, spoke on the occasion.

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