Will move towards greater movement from Dhaka rally: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday alleged that the government is trying to push the country towards instability and uncertainty by creating a chaotic situation over their party’s rally in the capital on December 10.

Speaking at a press conference at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also said from the ruling party leaders’ ‘unguarded’ comments on foiling the rally it seems that there will be a war in the capital on December 10.

The BNP leader, however, warned that the country's people will never accept any attempt to thwart a peaceful democratic program. “People will make this rally a success by braving all barriers.”

“BNP has been moving forward with its programmes very responsibly in a peaceful and democratic manner enduring all obstacles, attacks and repressions. But the ministers and leaders of the unelected government have indulged in a nefarious plot to foil the BNP’s mass rally in Dhaka by inflaming the situation with their irresponsible and provocative statements,” he said.

Fakhrul said BNP’s Dhaka rally will be held as part of the divisional programmes of the party’s ongoing movement for the restoration of democracy.

“The people from all walks of life will join the rally to push for their just demands and raise their voice for the restoration of democracy by foiling all the evil plans of the government,” the BNP leader said.

He alleged that the government has been arresting BNP leaders and activists and implicating them in false cases centring the December-10 rally.

“This government is creating such an atmosphere centring the rally as if there will be a war in Dhaka on December 10. But we’re clearly saying that this is part of our 10 divisional rallies that we have announced earlier and the Dhaka rally will be our last scheduled programme,” the BNP leader said.

Fakhrul said their party will announce their next course of action and will move forward towards a greater movement with their demands from the Dhaka rally. “This is not our final rally or the final programme of our movement. This is our general and peaceful democratic programme.”

“Awami League leaders and activists are deliberately trying to create chaos as they experience the nightmare of losing power every moment since they have got isolated from people. Out of that fear, they are threatening us by using all the state machinery…are you the government of goons or mafias? If so, announce it clearly, and then we won’t consider you a democratic political party,” he said.

As his attention was drawn to the ruling party leaders’ comment that BNP will face the same fate of Hefajat if it tries to create chaos over December-10 rally, Fakhrul said those days have gone as people are now united against the government.

“I would like to make it very clear that at that time would not be able to do with the people what they (govt) did with Hefajat. Because the people have taken a firm stand and they’ll realise their demands at any cost," he said.

The BNP leader, however, assured that their party will not take any program that will put people in danger and harm their interests. “We’ll continue our movement peacefully together with people.”

Fakhrul said the government’s move to hike power tariffs and the long queues of people for OMS rice are manifesting that the Prime Minister’s fear of famine is not pointless. “It can happen only because of your corruption, mismanagement and plundering.”

He said the country’s banking sector has been ruined by the government, forcing the Bangladesh Bank to issue a statement saying there is no liquidity crisis in banks.

“If there’s no liquidity crisis, why should you give the statement? Why are people afraid? The state of the country's economy has gone to such a level that people don't even have the courage to keep money in the banks as their money can be stolen from there."