AL may face extinction if midterm polls not held: BNP

BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi warned Monday that the ruling Awami League (AL) may face extinction if it does not arrange midterm polls, reports UNB.

"Awami League leaders should beware there is a possibility of obliteration of the party if it clings to power by force without giving a midterm election," he said.

Addressing a press briefing at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi came up with the remarks reacting to AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam's comment that there is no possibility of midterm polls in the country.

Alleging that the government grabbed the state power through a voter-less election, the BNP leader said the current regime is holding office "against the will of the country's people."

He also said the more this government will be greedy for clinging to power the more it will fall in danger. "No one can stay in peace by holding people hostage."

The BNP joint secretary general said AL had fallen into trouble again and again as it didn't take lessons from the past. "Awami League has turned into an enemy of the masses by carrying out anti-people acts after assuming office with false promises."

Lashing out at Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina for her comment that she had felt same conspiracies like that of the 1974 famine during the January 5 elections, Mr Rizvi said one-party BKSAL rule has been established in the country for the second time, deceiving people through the January-5 polls.