AL out to unleash violence with counter rally: Fakhrul

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir says Jubo League's counter rally in sync with his party's grand rally on July 27 is an attempt to create violence.
"The ruling party evidently wants violence. If any violent incident happens, then the government must take the responsibility," he told the media after a joint meeting at Nayapaltan on Monday.
Mr Fakhrul requested the Awami League to change the date of the rally to be staged by Awami League's associate bodies Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League and Chhatra League.
He alleged that some persons in a position of power in the government were making incendiary remarks.
"Like previous attempts, the government again wants to obstruct the movement of vehicles. Even the language of some ministers is similar to terrorists'. Clearly, they are threatening to create violence. But the countrymen have risen up to face it."
Citing that holding rallies is a constitutional right, he maintained that the ruling party was insulting BNP's right to hold rallies and freedom of expression.
"Killing and abduction have now become a daily routine of the government. The people want to get rid of the clutches of this monster regime. Foreigners also prefer to see a free, fair and participatory election here."
Mr Fakhrul further said that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and 36 other parties have taken to streets for the government's resignation and holding the polls under an election-time neutral caretaker set-up.
Communist Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Party and Charmonai Pir also doubted the holding of free and fair elections under the incumbency of this government and demanded its immediate resignation.
The BNP has informed the Dhaka Metropolitan Police of the venue for holding a grand rally on July 27, Mr Fakhrul said, hoping that the venue be finalised soon.
He urged the bureaucrats to show their solidarity with the opposition-sponsored ongoing anti-government movement in order to establish people's voting right.
"It's the movement of the people. You (bureaucrats) should express solidarity with the movement. You should come out because it's a movement to establish people's volition," he implored.
Senior BNP leaders Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Abdus Salam and Aman Ullah Aman, among others, were present.