BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said their party will free their chairperson Khaleda Zia and realise their demands for a fair and credible election under a non-party administration through a movement.
"We want a fair election in which people will elect a government of their choice. But the government is making the situation complicated. Our leader (Khaleda) was told that her punishment has been enhanced. She said she will not bow down, no matter how much punishment she is given," he said.
Speaking at a mass-hunger strike programme, the BNP leader called upon the masses to get united to topple the present government.
"Let's get united and defeat the current regime. We won't bow down and also will realise our rights and demands through movement."
As part of its countrywide programme, BNP observed the hunger strike in the city, protesting the conviction of its chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case, reports UNB.
The program began at around 10am at Mohanagar Natya Mancha in the capital and continued till 3:15pm.
How the hunger strike ended
BNP leaders and activists broke their hunger strike by drinking water offered by ex-Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University, Prof Emajuddin Ahmed.
Jatiya Oikyafront leaders and Nagorik Oikya convener, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, and JSD-Rob general secretary, Abdul Malek Ratan, and some 20-party leaders expressed their solidarity with BNP leaders by joining the mass hunger strike.
Fakhrul said the government has kept Khaleda Zia in jail with a political motive. "The judiciary is now under the government's control; it has destroyed all the institutions in the country. The two verdicts in Khaleda Zia's cases given this week have proved it."
BNP leaders vow
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Musharraf Hossain said the Awami League has set up a trap with its offer for talks on the election. "We know Awami League very well. It won't work if you try to deceive us and push us into a trap through the dialogue."
He said the next general election will not be held unless their seven-point demand is met. "No election will be held without the participation of Khaleda Zia. We won't go to the polls without the implementation of our seven-point demand."
The BNP leader also called upon their party leaders and activists to prepare for waging a strong movement. "If the political crisis is not resolved through talks, we'll settle it on the streets."
BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed urged their party men to take both physical and mental preparation for waging a movement to have their chairperson released from jail.
"We'll continue our movement until our demands for releasing our leader (Khaleda) and installation of the election-time government are accepted," he added.
The BNP leader said the entire nation is now united to realise their demands. "The Oikyafront is moving ahead with a big expectation of people for ensuring a fair election under a non-party administration."
Several hundred BNP leaders and activists joined the programme amid tight vigilance by police.
On Wednesday, the party formed human chains in the capital and elsewhere in the country and staged demonstrations on Tuesday.
They chanted various slogans demanding Khaleda's release.
Earlier
On Monday, BNP senior joint secretary general, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, announced a three-day countrywide programme, including, demonstrations, formation of human chains, and a mass-hunger strike, protesting the conviction of Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable graft case.
On Monday, a Dhaka court sentenced BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others to seven years' rigorous imprisonment each in a graft case.