Khaleda threatens to topple govt through mass upsurge

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia has threatened to topple the government through mass upsurge. The former prime minister criticised the government's record-breaking initiative of singing the national anthem in chorus at a meeting of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists' (BFUJ) faction Saturday. "Singing the national anthem by spending a hundred crore taka will be of no use. The event was organised by bringing busloads of people by spending money. A Guinness record can't be made like that," said Khaleda. The BNP chief warned of a popular movement to overthrow the government, which came to power through the controversial Jan 5 elections. "We will launch a movement, where we don’t have to spend money to bring people. That mass upsurge will itself create a Guinness record," Khaleda said. She also announced of a fresh movement for national poll under a non-party government after Mar 31, when the final phase of the Upazila Parishad elections end, according to  news agency. Khaleda said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government will be given a “farewell through a peoples’ uprising.” “It will be a real farewell when people will flood the streets, and that will make an entry into the Guinness Book.” Khaleda accused the Awami League of misleading the people with wrong information about the Liberation War of 1971. “Awami League only speaks about the spirit of the Liberation War. They act like this because they did not take part in the war or witness it,” she said. “AL men who claim to be freedom fighters only crossed the border (into India), as refugees,” she claimed. The BNP chief noted that they will announce fresh anti-government programmes after the upazila elections are over. Terming the government illegal Khaleda said the parliament also does not exist today as it has an opposition only loyal to government. She also urged the Jatiya Party (JP) leader Rowshan Ershad to resign as the leader of the opposition in the parliament.