Senior leaders of the ruling Awami League (AL) on Wednesday ridiculed BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia for announcing “soft action” programmes against the government.
Addressing separate programmes senior AL leaders and Ministers Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed said that the BNP had lost its strength to launch effective action programme by abusing organizational vitality through orchestrating ‘mass murder’ in the name of movement last year.
The BNP-led alliance on Tuesday announced a 13-day soft action programme, despite Khaleda Zia’s repeated threat of launching tougher agitation programmes after Eid.
“Khaleda Zia has now realised that she herself made the weapons of movement blunt by abusing them while resisting January 5 general election,” AL leader and Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed told a gathering. He was opening a Photo Exhibition in memory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Dhanmondi’s Bangabandhu Bhaban in the city. “BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has avoided the hard line realising the ground reality that the people of the country do not want movement. They (people) want peace and development,” Tofail said, adding that the country was now on the road to development and prosperity under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The veteran AL leader was also critical of Khaleda Zia for celebrating her ‘fake birthday’ on August 15-the National Mourning Day.
“Those who celebrate birthdays by cutting cakes on the National Mourning Day do not believe in the country’s independence and sovereignty,” Tofail said.
The Commerce Minister also blasted late Ziaur Rahman for being “involved in the conspiracy to kill Bangandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.” Organized by Awami Swechhasebak League with president Mollah Md Abu Kawsar in the chair, the programme also addressed by its general secretary Pankaj Debnath.
Meanwhile, AL Advisory Council member and Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu yesterday told a Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote discussion meeting that Khaleda Zia had loss her party’s energy last year by ‘organizing genocide in the name of movement’.
“Now nobody has confidence in Khaleda Zia and BNP-Jamaat alliance because of their destructive action programmes before the January 5 general election,” Amu said and warned that the government would take tough action if the BNP tries to organize ‘genocide’ once again.
“Mass killings, destruction and anarchy will not be tolerated again,” Amu said, adding, “The Government will destroy Khaleda Zia’s conspiracy to turn the country back.”
Organization president Tarana Halim MP presided over the meeting, which was addressed by noted actor ATM Shamsuzzaman and AL leader Balaram Poddar at Shilpakala Academy in the city.
