BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has said that there is no independence of judiciary in the country as the government has already politicised all the institutions of the state, including the judiciary. The government is using the administration, RAB and police forces like the party workers of Awami League in an attempt to sustain in power for long, she alleged. Addressing a reception programme at the Institution of Engineers’ Bangladesh in the city on Saturday, she claimed that the decision of her party-led 19-party alliance for boycotting the January-5 ‘one-sided’ elections was right. She said that they did not miss the election train, rather the ruling party rode on the wrong train.The reception was accorded to the newly elected members of the Dhaka Bar Association. Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, the pro-BNP lawyers’ platform, organised the function with its president and BNP standing committee member Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah in the chair. Party senior leaders Barrister Moudud Ahmed and Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar addressed the function, among others. Newly elected president of the Dhaka Bar Association Advocate Mohsin Ali and general secretary Advocate Mosleh Uddin Jasim also spoke. The BNP-Jamaat backed Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya (Blue Panel) swept the elections to the Association for the 2014-15 term bagging 19 posts out of 25.Khaleda Zia, also the former prime minister, in her speech greeted the newly elected members of the Dhaka Bar Association. Threatening to launch tougher movement for fresh polls, she sought the pro-active role of the lawyers in strengthening the movement. Voicing her concern that people are not getting justice from the court, she also urged them to be vocal against it and stand beside people for ensuring justice and human rights.She was critical of the government for giving presidential clemency to 30 death convicts. The government is releasing as well as sheltering the terrorists, she alleged. The BNP chief said that the government has become detached from the people, as it went into wrong path. The present Awami League government is illegal. It would be held accountable to the people one day. The countrymen want something new. They want change of the government. But this government is trying to cling to power by force, she added.Talking about the latest move of the electricity price hike, she urged the government to revise the decision. She said that decision would go against the interest of the common people. Rather, she said, the government should stop corruption and looting in the power sector instead of increasing its price frequently. Khaleda Zia came down heavily on the government for foiling the programme of Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal, the woman body of the BNP, that was designed on the occasion of the ‘International Women’s Day’ on Friday.She also criticised the government for continuous torture against the leaders and activists of BNP and its alliance partners. She accused the government of snatching the basic rights of the people. It (government) will continue repression if it sustains in the power. So downfall of the government has to be ensured, she said.
