BNP to be on streets until govt cancels decision on Khaleda's residence

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BNP and its front organisations will continue their peaceful movement until the government withdraws its "illegal" decision cancelling the lease allocation of Khaleda's cantonment residence, reports UNB.
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain Saturday announced the party's stand while addressing a protest rally organised by Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, the youth wing of the party, in front of the BNP central office at Naya Paltan in the city in the afternoon.
He said no threat and intimidation of the government would work to deter the opposition from its movement.
The rally was organised as part of a two-day demonstration programme that ended Saturday with demonstrations at district and upazila levels across the country by BNP and its front organisations against the Wednesday's cabinet decision scrapping Khaleda's Shaheed Mainul Road residence in Dhaka cantonment.
Jubo Dal President Barkatullah Bulu, MP, who presided over the rally, announced its fresh street protest for two days across the country and gave the government a 48-hour deadline to rescind its 'illegal' decision.
As part of its two-day programme, Jubo Dal will hold protest rallies and take out processions at six divisional headquarters, including capital Dhaka, on April 13.
On April 15, similar protest programmes will be held at district, upazila and pourshava levels all over the country.
BNP leaders Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Moyeen Khan, Zainul Abdin Farooque, MP and Jubo Dal General Secretary Moazzem Hossain Alal, among others, addressed the rally.
Addressing the rally, Khandaker Delwar said the government is trying to play a game of minus-one formula by evicting the opposition leader Khaleda Zia not only from her cantonment residence, but also from politics.
He asked the Prime Minister to remove this thought from her mind, if anyone gave her this 'ill advice,' as it would never be successful on this soil of Bangladesh.
He said he finds the sign of BKSAL, not democracy, in the activities of the three-month-old Awami League government "as it has indulged in land grabbing, capturing of halls and educational institutions, extortion, terrorism and finally making an attempt to grab Khaleda's cantonment home through an illegal decision".
Delwar said the government wants to divert public attention and hide its ill-motive and failures to implement its election commitments by creating a non-issue an issue.
Speaking at the rally, Mirza Abbas said it is not the government but Awami League that has cancelled the lease of Khaleda's residence and this has been reflected in the recent aggressive statements of the ruling party ministers and leaders. "If the ruling party comes out on the street without the police protection to face Jubo Dal, they (AL) would not get the escape route."
Gayeshwar Roy said the behind-the-scene actors of 1/11 are trying to implement their unfinished works through the Prime Minister.
He said the present effort of removing Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence is part of the conspiracy hatched to send her abroad.
Dr Moyeen said the cabinet decision has violated the human rights by hatching conspiracy to remove Khaleda from her residence.
After the meeting, a protest procession was brought out that paraded Kakrail-Bijoynagar crossing before terminating in front of the party office.