BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam on Saturday said that a war had begun against the government for restoring democracy in the country.
Speaking at the party's seventh divisional rally in Sylhet, he said that the Liberation War of the country had started from this division, and thus the new war should also begin from here.
Mentioning that elections must be held under a non-partisan caretaker government, he warned that those who oppose this election system will turn into "public enemies".
Mirza Fakhrul also called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign, dissolve parliament and establish a caretaker government.
“The government's threats will not work this time as the people of the country will not return home until their voting rights are restored,” he said as the principal speaker at the rally held at the Government Alia Madrasa premises.
Addressing party men, the BNP leader said: “You have started a war. The war is for freedom…for restoring your voting rights.”
Referring to the ruling party leaders' remarks that the election will be held as per the constitution, he said the BNP had not accepted the constitutional amendment.
He said the caretaker government provision incorporated in the constitution by Khaleda Zia must be restored to ensure a credible national election. “No election will be held in Bangladesh without the caretaker government.”
Fakhrul said that the Awami League had annulled the caretaker government system through using the judiciary, creating the scope for elections to be held under the incumbent government.
Thousands of leaders and followers of the BNP and its associate bodies from four districts--Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Sylhet— had been making their way to the venue since Thursday, overcoming bus strikes that began on Friday morning.
The rally, organized by the Sylhet city unit of the BNP, formally began at 11:10am.