Dudu urges govt to declare polls date

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) vice-chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu has made a call to the interim government to announce a date for the general election and remain focused on it accordingly.
"The masses, students, labourers have failed to vote in the last three elections. Now, they have ousted fascist Sheikh Hasina to cast their votes."
"When will the interim government arrange the next general election? Just fix the date and start working to this end...," added Mr Dudu.
Public trust in the government will start eroding unless a timeline for the election is not announced.
The BNP leader said this at a protest rally on Wednesday, calling a halt to border killings, demanding the trial of fascist Sheikh Hasina and also the repatriation of laundered money from abroad.
The event was organised by 'Save the Country, Save the People' in front of the National Press Club.
"Except Awami League," said Mr Dudu, "our party (BNP) and others have extended support to this (interim) government. But people's rights to vote and others are yet to be established."
"Take steps to bring back money siphoned off abroad and try those involved in mass killings (during the student-mass uprising against Hasina). Start the process, the rest will be done by an elected government."
Raqibul Islam Ripon, president of the platform, chaired the event, which was also attended by Bangladesh Labour Party president Faruk Rahman and Jatiya Gonotantrik Party vice-president Rashed Prodhan.
Meanwhile, BNP chairperson's adviser Zainul Abdin Farroque has called on the chief adviser of the interim government to hold the trial of killers.
"You (Dr Yunus) are now in power. We call upon you to hold the trial of Awami League men responsible for killing students, children and people, and destroying democracy and constitutional bodies of the country."
Mr Farroque said this at a discussion recalling the role of late Saifuddin Ahmed Moni, one of the masterminds behind the 90s student-mass movement for restoring democracy and voting rights, hosted by National People's Party at the press club the same day.
"Everybody says they won't allow the blood of martyrs, including Mugdha, to go in vain. This government has come only to fulfil their expectation (the trial of the killers)."
"However, is that expectation going to be fulfilled?" he pondered the question for a while.
The BNP leader said the countrymen wanted to know why the prices of onion, sugar and others were on the rise.
Apart from making reforms, he said, the government must arrest Awami League men and bring home Sheikh Hasina simultaneously.
"Where are Harun, Biplob and Mehedi (police officials) now? They ransacked our (BNP) office, harassed and arrested us (during the Awami League rule)."
National People's Party chairman Fariduzzaman Farhad chaired the event, also attended by Jatiya Gonotantrik Party president Khandaker Lutfur Rahman.

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