Govt can\\\'t hang onto power using gun, says Fakhrul

FE Team | Published: February 15, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Demanding a fresh national election with the participation of all political parties, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir Friday said the government will not be able to cling to power using arms, reports UNB.
"We would like to ask the government, please, arrange the election with the participation of all parties soon. Otherwise, the history says none could hang onto power for a long time through gun power.  This government can't do this, too," he said.
The BNP spokesman came up with the remarks while addressing a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in the afternoon.
Mirza Fakhrul said the whole world, including the USA, the UK, Canada and the European Union, have said the January-5 election was not credible. "They ask for holding fresh election immediately with the participation of all parties."
He said the ministers have now resorted to rhetoric after assuming power without election, saying they will remain in power for five years.
Terming the country's present situation 'terrible', the BNP leader said he found similarities between the current situation and that of the 1972-'75 period.
He said during the period of 1972-'75, bodies had been lying by roads and activists of the opposition had been killed after making them forcefully disappeared.
Coming down heavily on the ministers, Mirza Fakhrul said some of them are taking gold crests and crowns while some others asking for cash. "The nation wants a relief from such farce."
Bhashani Smriti Sangsad organised the discussion styled, 'Language Movement and Maulana Bhashani', at the National Press Club.
Recalling the works of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, Fakhrul said he is himself an institution and part of history. "Taking lessons from his ideology, the struggle for bringing back the country's independence, sovereignty and democracy will have to be intensified."
Veteran Language Movement hero Abdul Matin, chairman of a faction of Jatiya Party Kazi Zafar Ahmed and BNP chairperson's adviser Abdul Halim, among others, spoke at the discussion with Bhashani Smriti Sangsad president Ziaul Haque Milu in the chair.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy Friday said the government has "become unnerved" seeing the BNP's participation in the upazila elections and feared it might resort to manipulate the election.
"The government is hatching conspiracy to occupy 99 per cent of upazilas like the January 5 national election," he said at a discussion organised by Swadesh Jagaran Parishad at the National Press Club.
Gayeshwar alleged that the ministers have been violating the election code by using flag-bearing cars in the upazila polls campaign in favour of the ruling party-backed candidates.
"This government is almost dead. They remain alive with life-support of a neighbouring country," he said.
Chaired by Swadedsh Jagaran Parishad president Kamruzzaman Selim, the meeting was also addressed by BNP national executive committee member Jerin Khan, Swadhinata Forum president Abu Naser Mohammad Rahmatullah and Jubo Dal senior vice president Advocate Abdus Salam Azad.