Staff Reporter :The government will have to face dire consequences if it wants to stage a farce election like January 5 during the upcoming City Corporation polls, President of Supreme Court Bar Association Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain also an Adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, said at a discussion on Friday.He also sounded a note of caution to the senior BNP leaders, saying that if they fear to join the anti-government movements, they should quit their posts from the party. Medical Technologists Association of Bangladesh (M-TAB) organized the discussion on democracy, people’s franchise, rule of law, human rights and present day Bangladesh on the occasion of Independence Day at the Jatiya Press Club in the city. Speaking as the chief guest, Khandker Mahbub, said the present government is trying to silence the 16 crore people of the country with the strength of arms. “It is trying to establish dictatorship in the country and killing democracy with the strength of arms. But the Prime Minister should realize the fact that no party can stay in power using its might,” he said. Khandker Mahbub blamed the ruling party for carrying out subversive activities like bomb blast and arson attacks with its own people. “BNP actually has been staging movements since January 5, 2014 for democracy, people’s right to vote and human rights, but the government wants to brand it as militancy and terrorism,” he said, adding but the people can understand the government’s motive. The sudden announcement of the City Corporation elections is also a ploy to distract the people’s attention from the ongoing political crisis, he said. “However, despite all odds, BNP will take part in the election to establish people’s right. But if the government tries to hold a farcical election like January 5, people will not forgive it,” Mahbub said. Dhaka dwellers along with others will prevent any move to hold a farce polls in the name of City Corporation elections, he added. Regarding the senior BNP leaders, the SCBA President said they must join the movements. Otherwise, they should step down from the posts. “If they stay away from the movements in fear of police’s action, cases, assault and to protect their wealth, they cannot cling on to the party posts,” he asserted. The government is controlling the media, Mahbub said, adding that the international community cannot know about the killing, torture, abduction and disappearance, being taken place in the country due to the censorship on the media.Among others, senior journalist Ruhul Amin Gazi, Adviser to the BNP Chairperson AZM Zahid Hossain, BNP leader Advocate Sanaullah Mia, and Secretary General of Doctors Association of Bangladesh Rafiqul Islam Bachchu also spoke at the discussion, presided over by Secretary General of M-TAB Biplobuzzaman.
