Free Khaleda Zia or face dire consequences: BNP

FE Team | Published: June 29, 2024 22:28:23

FE REPORT
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) warned on Saturday that the government would have to release the party's detained chairperson Khaleda Zia immediately and unconditionally; otherwise they (the government) would have to face dire consequences.
"We (BNP) demand an immediate and unconditional release of our party chairperson Khaleda Zia. Otherwise get prepared to face dire consequences," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said addressing the government at a rally in front of the party's headquarters at Nayapaltan in the capital.
He called upon all other opposition political parties to come forward and intensify the ongoing movement for immediate release of Khaleda Zia- to press for which the rally was arranged.
Terming Khaleda Zia as 'the symbol of democracy', he said, "From the rally, we want unconditional release of Begum Khaleda Zia."
Mr Fakhrul said that Khaleda Zia was the first woman freedom fighter of the country as she was arrested by the then Pakistani occupation army and got released after independence.
He also said that democracy and Begum Khaleda Zia was inseparable.
He lamented that Khaleda Zia had remained in detention in false cases.
"Our movement is still going on. Many of our party leaders and activists have been detained in jail and many others became victims of extrajudicial killings," he maintained.
Mr Fakhrul said that the ruling Awami League had held on to power through farcical elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024.
He alleged that the government had destroyed the country's economy and political system.
About signing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between Bangladesh and India, he said, "What Bangladesh gets from the MoUs? Nothing."
He also demanded immediate withdrawal of the 'false cases' against party's acting chairperson Tarique Rahman.
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that the country's people did not have safety and security due to the ongoing oppression and suppression on the opponents by the government.
He also said that the BNP chairperson had remained in detention illegally.
He called upon all to raise their voice and intensify the ongoing movement to release detained Khaleda Zia.
BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan said the government was not elected by the people.
He further said, "Begum Khaleda Zia is seriously ill but the government is not considering her pleas allowing her to go abroad for treatment."
While presiding over the rally, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said that they had been waging anti-government movement over the past 15 years but of no use.
"Begum Khaleda Zia means democracy, Begum Khaleda Zia means country's independence and sovereignty," he said.
He laid importance on more people taking to streets to intensify the ongoing movement for immediate release of Khaleda Zia.
He also said that BNP would announce more programmes for her release.
BNP organised the rally after long eight months for immediate and unconditional release of Begum Khaleda Zia.
The party would also hold rallies in metropolitan cities on July 1 and in all district towns on July 3 for raising the same demand.
The rally which started at 3:00 pm and ended around 6:00 pm was moderated by party's publicity secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku.
Leaders and activists of BNP from different wards of the city and different adjoining districts of the capital gathered at Nayapaltan in the city much before the start of the rally.
Party's standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Begum Selima Rahman, vice-chairmen Md Shahjahan, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Barkatullah Bulu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Asaduzzaman Ripon, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokon, adviser to the party chairperson Zainul Abdin Farroque, party leaders Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Ane, Syed Emran Saleh Prince, Abdus Salam Azad, and special assistant to BNP chairperson Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas and sports secretary Aminul Haque were present, among others.
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