Govt using state machinery to draw some opposition leaders to polls: Rizvi

The government is using the state machinery for making some opposition leaders agree to participate in the upcoming national election, said Senior Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
He was addressing a rally on Kamal Ataturk Avenue at Banani in the city on Sunday, the first day of the party's seventh round of countrywide blockade programme to realise their longstanding demands.
Earlier leaders and activists of the party, led by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, brought out a procession from Banani playground area that ended at Kakoli.
Mr Rizvi termed the government as bankrupt saying the grassroots level leaders and activists have opposed the decision taken by some party leaders to participate in the elections.
Criticising a report published by a section of media outlets of neighbouring India, he said the Indian government and its people should understand why Bangladeshi people became enraged against them.
He added, "The Indian government has taken a stance against the very will of Bangladeshi people by extending support to a tyrant government in Bangladesh."
He criticised India's role in the affairs of Bangladesh polls.
"They (India) should support what Bangladeshi people want," he said.
Mr Rizvi also alleged that Indian Border Security Force kill Bangladeshi people on the frontier almost every day.
He said India was unilaterally continuing trade and business with Bangladesh whereas Bangladesh is not getting adequate scope vice versa from her counterpart.
He said the present government has opened everything for India but in return what Bangladesh gained is literally insignificant.
Dhaka district unit of BNP organised the procession.
President of Dhaka district BNP Khandakar Abu Ashfaq, Assistant Youth Affairs Secretary Mir Newaz Ali Newaz, Assistant Health Affairs Secretary Dr Parvez Reza Kakon and other leaders and activists of the party took part in the procession.
Besides, Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, associate body of BNP for youths, brought out a procession in the capital's Purana Paltan area.
The procession started from Purana Paltan and ended in Baitul Mukarram area.
Jubo Dal central committee vice president Mohsin Molla, joint secretary Kamal Anwar Ahamad and others took part in the procession.

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