BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia said on Saturday that the government could not continue to remain in power for long due to its misrule, misdeeds and massive corruption.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the national council of Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, she said that the present government is illegal and isolated from the people. It thinks that it can continue in power with the support of HM Ershad but it has to quit power soon, she said.
Sramik Dal, a front body of the BNP, arranged the function at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in the city on Saturday. Sramik Dal President and BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan chaired the function while BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Vice-Chairman Abdullah-al-Noman, among others, spoke.
Khaleda Zia demanded fresh parliamentary polls as soon as possible under a non-party caretaker government. She insisted on holding general election immediately to uphold democracy.
Urging all to work collectively for democracy, Khaleda Zia said the illegal government has to step down. She said that they have started the process of reorganising the party. The process would continue. The committees of Chhatra Dal, Juba Dal, Mahila Dal and other bodies will also be reconstituted, she said adding that after completion of reorganization , a tougher movement would be launched which would force the government to hold fresh polls.
Referring to increase incidents of abduction and deterioration of law and order situation, Khaleda Zia said forced disappearance and killing have gone up in absence of democracy. The country has been passing through a critical phase and no one is safe under the present government except those belonging the Awami League, she said.
Referring to the abduction and safe return of Syeda Rizwana Hasan’s husband, she said those who protest misdeeds of the government, face disappearance. Rizwana or her husband are not involved in politics. But Rizwana’s husband was abducted and later he was released in the face of widespread protest from different sections of society, she said. Had he not be returned, the government would have to face oust government movement, she said.
Khaleda Zia demanded rescue of missing BNP leaders M Ilias Ali and Chowdhury Alam and also others who have been abducted. Referring to water issue, she said Bangladesh is being deprived of fair share of water of the common rivers. The present government has failed to ensure rightful share of water from India. The Indian government is building barrages and dams on transboundary rivers defying international law. The dams and barrages will create negative impact to the ecology and environment of Bangladesh, she said.
The BNP chief said that BNP would ensure fair share of water of common rivers if the party is voted to power.
