Movement to continue: Khaleda

BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia Friday announced a set of conditions for ending the current political turmoil through a time-bound dialogue but said the ongoing countrywide 'peaceful movement' will continue unto a logical end.
She renewed the spell of movement as the government was yet take any initiative to resolve the prevailing crisis.
Khaleda Zia, also leader of the 20-party alliance, placed the charter of demands at a press briefing-her second since the current bout of agitation began and she was virtually confined to her political office.
Her preconditions for restoring political peace include immediate release of all political detainees and withdrawal of all 'false' cases filed against them and stopping 'extra-judicial' killings and police "repression".
The peace package also demands lifting all kinds of restrictions against opposition political parties for holding rallies, processions and other political activities and arranging a dialogue within a certain timeframe for holding free, fair and participatory elections under a government acceptable to all.
She made it clear that their movement-a prolonged blockade and frequent shutdowns-is neither against any person nor is it against any party.
"It is an ideological movement…it is for people's rights….it is for those who have firm belief in democracy," she said.  
"And it is neither for capturing state power. It is for building a democratic, peaceful and self-reliant Bangladesh."
It is her second press conference since January 6 when the alliance enforced the nonstop countrywide blockade demanding a midterm election under a non-partisan administration.
The BNP chief squarely blamed the ruling Awami League for creating the prevailing crisis through the 15th amendment to the constitution that scrapped the caretaker government system.
She said they had refrained from any movement following a commitment made by the Prime Minister that the general election which was held on January 5, 2014 was just a 'constitutional obligation'.
She said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also committed that new polls could be held after dissolving the parliament if there was a consensus over the structure of poll-time government."We understood later that our decision not to go for movement was not correct trusting Sheikh Hasina's pledge for a fresh election," the BNP Chairperson told the journalists.
In fact, she added, there is no example of the Awami League keeping their promises.
Taking the opportunity of no movement, "the autocratic government launched police repression on leaders and activists of the opposition parties in the name of drive by the joint forces", she said.
The former PM alleged hundreds of leaders and activists of the alliance were killed and made victims of forced disappearances.
"We repeatedly called for dialogue as we have a firm belief in peace and compromise, but they (the government) chose the path of violence and clash. Conscious citizens are also being insulted and repressed whenever they talk about dialogue for a solution," she told the press.  
The BNP chief said the "non-accountable" government has no moral rights or base to rule the country as they came through a voter-less election, in which 154 out of 300 parliament members got elected uncontested.
Khaleda Zia alleged that the government carried out subversive acts to brand the ongoing "peaceful democratic movement" as militant activities, which ultimately benefit the real militants.
The former premier also demanded international probe into those subversive acts to ensure punishment of the real criminals.
She alleged law-enforcers picked up BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed but were denying the fact. She warned of dire consequences if Salahuddin was not released immediately.
She thanked all the individuals and bodies locally and internationally for suggesting talks among the political parties to resolve the ongoing political crisis.  
Acknowledging people's temporary pains and miseries caused due to the blockades, she urged the citizens to bear with such agonies in greater national interest.
Four BNP leaders-Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, and former IGP and BNP chief's adviser Abdul Qaiyum -who have been staying with Khaleda in her Gulshan office, were present at the press conference.
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