Quit right now, or get ousted, Fakhrul tells government

BNP warned the government on Friday to quit power immediately; otherwise it would be forced to resign.
"Quit power immediately, otherwise you will be forced to resign through mass movement," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned the government from a brief rally before starting a mass procession near Suvastu Tower in the capital's Badda area.
BNP Dhaka Metropolitan city north unit organised the mass procession that ended near Abul Hotel at Malibag. BNP Dhaka Metropolitan city south unit also brought out another mass procession from near Kamalapur Stadium that ended at Malibag rail-gate.
The mass processions were organised to realise BNP's one-point demand for the government's immediate resignation and holding a free, fair and participatory parliament election under a neutral caretaker government.
Mr Fakhrul said this time the government would not be allowed to play another game in the name of election.
"This is a movement of life and death. The government will be ousted now through people's movement, if it does not quit power willingly."
"Resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the only demand of BNP. The sound of this demand must reach Gonobhaban and Bangabhaban."
The BNP secretary general stated that the government wants to come to power again by holding an election like that of 2014 and 2018. But there would be no election under the Sheikh Hasina government.
He opined that this Awami League government has destroyed the country's all achievements.
He reiterated his party's demands for dissolving the parliament immediately, resignation of the government, and constituting a new Election Commission (EC) for arranging a free, fair and participatory parliamentary poll under a neutral caretaker government.
Mirza Fakhrul claimed that the government is using the judiciary to award jail terms to his party leaders in false cases - filed by the government.
He said BNP's ongoing movement cannot be stopped by using bullets and tear-gas by the government.
"The 180 million (18 crore) people of the country are now united. They will establish their rights to vote and democracy. People will realise their demand, whatever oppression the government inflicts on the opponents."
"Our demand is one, which is immediate resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This movement is for restoring democracy, for releasing Khaleda Zia," he added.
Convener of BNP's Dhaka metropolitan city north unit Aman Ullah Aman presided over the brief meeting.
BNP standing committee members Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Khashru Mahmud Chowdhury, vice-chairmen Altar Hossain Chowdhury, Abdul Awal Mintu and Shamsuzzaman Dudu, and chairperson's advisers Jainul Abdin Faruk and Abul Khair Bhuiyan along with leaders and activists of its various associate bodies, among others, participated in the mass procession.
On the other hand, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas presided over a brief rally before starting the mass procession of its Dhaka Metropolitan south unit.
He said the Election Commission is hurrying to announce election schedule as per the government's directives. BNP would not accept any election schedule announced by this EC.
Convener of BNP Dhaka Metropolitan city south unit Abdus Salam presided over the rally where the party's central leaders and activists joined.
Meanwhile UNB adds: The BNP on Friday staged a show of strength and support in the capital, with two sizable processions to press home the party's demand for resignation of the government, as part of holding the next election under a non-party caretaker government.
Apart from BNP, other like-minded opposition parties and alliances also brought processions in different parts of the capital.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the Dhaka North city unit's procession in front of Badda's Suvastu Tower around 3:30 pm.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas inaugurated the Dhaka south city unit BNP's procession in front of Kamalapur Stadium around 3:40pm.
Addressing a brief rally before starting the procession, Abbas alleged that the government has been repressing the BNP leaders and activists heinously to hang onto power.
He alleged that the ruling party activists are attacking the BNP leaders and workers with hammers while the law enforcers are opening fire on them.
The BNP leader said the government has snatched people's democratic and constitutional rights, including the right to hold meetings and processions and express opinions freely.
Abbas said he came to know that the Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule for the next national election on November 15. "We want to tell the Election Commission that you don't have the right to hold the election."
He said their party will not allow any election under the current government. "We'll definitely put up resistance if they try to hold the polls. There'll be no election in Bangladesh without a neutral government."
After the rally, party leaders and activists took out a procession that concluded near the Malibagh Community Centre amid the presence of law enforcers.
Braving inclement weather, thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the two processions, carrying banners, festoons and portraits of the party's top leaders.
Besides, Ganotantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Gonoforum and People's Party, Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote, 12-party alliance, Labour Party, LDP, NDM and two factions of Gono Odhikar Parishad also brought out separate processions in different areas of the capital to mount pressure on the government to step down and hold the next polls under a non-party administration.
This was the third programme of the opposition's one-point movement with the goal to remove Awami League from power.
On July 12 last, BNP and the like-minded parties announced their one-point movement to realise their demands.