Govt's days are numbered: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the days of current Awami League government are numbered as people will no longer let it stage any more drama in the name of election.

“The days of this government are really numbered…They must go this time,” he told a rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, reports UNB.

The BNP leader also said those who destroyed democracy, killed opposition leaders and activists and repressed them in many ways in the democratic movement must quit power to repay that debt.

He alleged that the current government has snatched people’s all rights in a planned way by establishing a one-party Baksal rule in disguise. “So, they want to stage a drama and mockery further in the name of an election…that election won’t be held in this country anymore as people are now ready to get back their voting rights.”

Fakhrul said the current ‘unelected’ government has no relation with the people and their main target is to plunder public money as they consider Bangladesh as their paternal property and the country’s people as their subjects.

As part of the ongoing simultaneous movement against the current government, BNP arranged the rally. Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associated bodies joined the parogramme.

The organisers said the programme was meant for registering a protest against the introduction of one-party Baksal rule by the Awami League on January 25, 1975, the rise in the prices of power and gas and mounting pressure on the government to accept their 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party caretaker government.

Fakhrul said Awami will not quit power voluntarily unless they are ousted through a strong movement. “We’re uniting people and the political parties to remove this regime from power.”

The BNP leader also said their ongoing movement will continue as long as the Awami League does not step down and as long as the arrested BNP leaders are not released from jail.

Fakhrul said the nation liberated the country through a bloody war with a dream of establishing a democratic society and state. “This Awami League on this day (January 25) in 1975 annihilated democracy by dashing people’s all hopes and aspirations."

The BNP leaders questioned why Awami League forgets that they first destroyed democracy in the country by establishing Baksal and banning all parties and newspapers.

“The fact is that Awami League never believes in democracy and it can’t tolerate different opinions. Awami League is a terrorist party from the beginning. Their history is the history of terrorism and they always want to cling to power by force and resorting to terrorism.”

Stating that 17 BNP leaders and activists were killed in the current movement, Fakhrul said Awami League took so many lives only to satisfy its nasty desire to hang onto power illegally.

He bemoaned that people are going through a very tough time as the prices of all essentials and utility services, including power and gas, are going up unusually.

The BNP leader said the government will not reduce the tariffs of power and gas and essential items. “So, this regime must be ousted to establish a government of people.”

President can’t work neutrally

About the presidential election, he said a schedule was announced for the election of the President who has currently no power.

“We respect the chair of the President very much, no matter who the person is and whichever party he/she belongs to. The President is the head of the state,” Fakhrul said.

He, however, said the President now cannot discharge his duty neutrally and cannot do anything against the will of the Prime Minister. “That is why we have made it clear in our 27-point proposal that there should be a balance between the power of the President and the Prime Minister.”

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said Awami League destroyed the spirit of the Liberation War on January 25, 1975, by establishing one-party Baksal rule by banning all political parties and snatching people’s all rights. “It’s our party founder Ziaur Rahman who restored democracy and the spirit of the Liberation War,” he said.

The BNP leader also said Awami League which was banned during the Baksal rule revived as Zia introduced the multi-party democracy, giving the party fresh chance to do politics in Bangladesh. “So, Awami League is a killer of democracy while BNP is a savior of Democracy.”