Govt must sit with BNP for dialogue: Khaleda

JAMALPUR: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Saturday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina must sit with BNP for talks over holding a fresh general election in a free and fair manner as BNP is the country’s largest and most popular party.
“There’s no point of sitting with so-called parties and thugs. You (PM) must engage in dialogue with BNP as it’s the largest and most popular party of Bangladesh,” she told a mammoth rally organised by the 20-party alliance at Jamalpur Zila School ground. Criticising the Prime Minister for her remarks at a press conference at the UN Headquarters that there will be no talks with BNP,  the BNP chief further said, “There’ll be no gain by holding dialogue with Jadu, Madhu, thieves and dishonest (political leaders),” she said, according to a news agency.
Refuting Sheikh Hasina’s comment that BNP has made a blunder by boycotting the January-5 election and it must pay for it, Khaleda said they did not make any mistake rather they proved that people were not with them as country’s 95 percent did not go to cast their votes.
Issuing a note of warning to the government, the BNP chief said it is not BNP but the ruling party will have to pay dearly for their various misdeeds, corruption and repressive acts when Awami League will be made accountable to people.
Apparently accusing the intelligence agencies of trying to divide BNP and its alliance, she said they know everything what they are doing through agencies, and the names of the agencies.
 “Stop these illegal activities. Don’t do anything beyond your jurisdiction otherwise you won’t be spared. You’ll be made accountable and pay for it.” Khaleda warned the government agencies.
She also threatened to wage a strong movement after Eid-ul-Azha and called upon people of all walks of life to join it to restore democracy, the rule of law, ensure good governance and root out corruption. “We must oust the killer Hasina-administration waging a movement across the country to hold an election under a non-party administration.”
Mentioning that the country’s law and order situation deteriorated sharply due to Awami League men’s involvement in criminal activities, including killings, abductions and muggings, the BNP chief branded AL as a party of killers, muggers and hooligans and terrorists.