Staff Reporter :The BNP-led 20-party alliance is scheduled to hold countrywide demonstration today (Saturday) demanding fresh election under a non-party caretaker government system. The demonstration will be staged in all the upazilas, municipalities, districts and city headquarters.The programme also aims at protesting against killing, crippling and injuring of many alliance leaders and activists through crossfire and police firing, mass arrest, interference in the judiciary and controlling media. As part of the countrywide programme, the alliance will stage demonstrations at every ward of Dhaka city. In a statement, Dhaka city unit BNP convener Mirza Abbas and member secretary Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel on Friday urged the leaders and workers of the 20-party to make the programme a success. They also urged the 20-party men to engage themselves in their movement with the mind of supreme sacrifice.Earlier on Thursday, BNP Joint-Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed, on behalf of the 20-party, in a statement, announced the programme alongside the ongoing countywide blockade.The BNP-led alliance has also hinted that they will soon launching non-cooperation movement against the government. Salahuddin Ahmed, on behalf of the 20-party alliance, in a statement on Friday alleged that the current ‘illegal, unelected and fascist’ government should go. “It has besieged Bangladesh through absolute misuse of the state power. The agitating people will be forced to launch non-cooperation movement very soon against the government’s such repressive acts.”When asked, BNP Vice-Chairman Begum Selima Rahman clarified and verified the statement of Salahuddin Ahmed, who issued it from a hidden place. “The government forces are mercilessly killing the leaders and workers of the alliance and the people across the country. It (government) has already broken the record of cruelty by barring the food supply to the BNP Chairperson’s office. In this situation, there is no option than going for non-cooperation movement,” said Selima Rahman. Salahuddin Ahmed came down heavily on the government for the ongoing extra-judicial killing across the country. He alleged that the ruling party leaders and ministers were now announcing at public meetings to kill the agitators through crossfire and encounters. Top officials of the law enforcement agencies holding public meetings are also taking credits for the killings through crossfire and gunfights, he alleged. He warned that people would determine the fate of the ruling party leaders and ministers. The open and arrogant declaration of violating such human rights will be brought under the trial of national and international crime courts, he added. The BNP leader said the government was gradually narrowing its ‘safe exit route’ by indulging in indiscriminate killings, enforced disappearances and mass arrest.He called upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to assist in establishing the true democratic governing system in the country through stepping aside accepting people’s demand. “You have still time of safe exit. Accept the people’s demand and stop heinous terrorism,” he said.
