BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday said that her party would not make the same mistakes again if voted to power as it had learnt from its past.
“We have the experience of running the government as the people of Bangladesh have given us the opportunity several times. We have identified our mistakes and learnt from those,” she said while speaking at a programme in the city.
Khaleda Zia said that they have chalked out an action plan for serving the country once again if people want so.
Reiterating her call for dialogue to pave the way for holding a fresh inclusive election, the BNP Chairperson warned that they will have no option but to wage a strong street agitation programme if the government does not take immediate steps for talks to arrange fresh election with participation of all parties. “We’re going to people and presenting our views before them. We’re also taking their opinions. On completion of this phase, we must take to the streets
immediately together with people to press home their demand if no initiative is taken by the time,” she added.
Association of Engineers Bangladesh (AEB), a pro-BNP organization, arranged the programme at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) with its President Engineer Akhter Hossain in the chair.
Khaleda Zia said people will not be waiting indefinitely for the government to hold a dialogue on re-election under a neutral and non-party government. “If the government does not hold the talks, BNP will have no option but to take to streets,” she added.
Terming the present government “illegal,” she said, “This government is unelected and it is not the people’s government. The people of the country do not have faith and support to the government.
In this context, she also said, “Some 153 lawmakers were elected uncontested. They were not elected by the people.”
The BNP chief also claimed: “The government has killed democracy. But no country can develop without democracy.”
Criticising the government, she said, “They have snatched the right of people, plundering the wealth of the country and siphoning money to foreign lands.”
Khaleda Zia also said, “We are asking the government to organize talks … but they must know that the countrymen would not wait for an indefinite period for talks.”
She urged people to join in movements to bring back the democratic system in the country.
Khaleda said, “The situation in the country is unnatural. It has become a police state. This can’t go on. If this continues, not only Bangladesh, the region will become unstable.”
“The dictatorial way the country is ruled can only ensure emergence and spread of extremisms. This will lead the country to darkness,” she added.
BNP Standing Committee Member Lieutenant General (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, Mirza Abbas, BNP Chairperson’s adviser and DAB secretary general AZM Zahid Hossain, former Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Mostahidur Rahman and AEB general secretary Harun-ar-Rashid were, among others, present at the programme.
