BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has said that Bangladesh has been stripped of democracy and that it must be restored through a movement. “We have not lost. It is they who have lost,” said Khaleda as a rejoined to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s earlier remark that the party had lost both ways by sitting out the 10th national election.Khaleda said she along with leaders of her party will tour the country for their movement against what she termed was an ‘illegal’ and ‘dangerous’ government.Effort to hold talks with the government will continue along with their movement, said Khaleda.Thanking the people of Bangladesh for rejecting a ‘farcical’ election, she announced a mass rallies to be held in Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan and at district and Upazila level across the nation on Jan 20. She said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s birthday on Jan 18 is to be celebrated through discussions. Khaleda also announced nationwide mass protests and black flag processions to be held on Jan 29, the day the 10th national assembly will hold its first session. The Jan 5 vote did not reflect the will of the people, she claimed, which is why the no one went to the polling centres. BNP-led 18-Party alliance had announced that it will resist polling on Jan 5. The day of the vote was marked by numerous attacks on voting centres, with at least 21 people killed in violence. She claimed only 5 percent placed their votes which the government made out to be 40 percent. “I am hoping the repressed people will get their vote rights back,” she said. Khaleda began addressing the media at 4pm at Hotel Westin on Wednesday.
