Senior BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Tuesday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation can pave the way for holding a fair and credible election and resolving the ongoing political crisis in the country.
“Sheikh Hasina is the main barrier to free and fair elections in the country. As long as she remains in power, the police, RAB and all the people in administration will stand in the way of elections,” he said.
Speaking at a human chain program, the BNP leader said the police will become gentle and they will not go to polling stations on the eve of elections to steal votes while the administration works as servants of the people if Sheikh Hasina is not in power.
“That is why we are saying that Sheikh Hasina's resignation is a prerequisite for a fair and free election. If this prerequisite is fulfilled then all our conditions will be fulfilled,” he said.
Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, said Khaleda Zia will be released unconditionally, and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Mirza Abbas and all other opposition leaders will be released if the prime minister is removed from power.
Thakurgaon Jatiyatabadi Forum in Dhaka arranged the human chain in front of the National Press Club, demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is out on parole, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas and all other “political prisoners”.
Stating that there is no point in seeking the release of BNP leaders separately, Gayeshwar said the party should go for a one-point demand for Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
"We will free the country from fascism by restoring democracy. So we have no alternative to carrying out a movement and struggle,” he observed.
Arrests ‘unjust'
Gayeshwar said the government has unfairly arrested Fakhrul, Abbas, and other BNP leaders and activists, keeping them in jail unjustly.
"We just want to tell the judiciary and courts that we want justice. We do not want any mercy,” he said.
The BNP leader alleged that party chief Khaleda Zia sought justice, but she did not get it. “There is no person in the history of Bangladesh except Khaleda Zia who has not been granted bail in such cases.”
He said ruling party MP Haji Md Salim, who was convicted on charges of embezzling crores of taka, got bail, but Khaleda Zia did not. “It is injustice… So from whom should we seek justice? Had the judiciary been separated from the executive branch and had the judges been independent, we could have got justice.”
Gayeshwar said Khaleda, Fakhrul, Abbas, and other BNP leaders and activists were sent to jail as they wanted democracy and voting rights for the people. “If we can succeed in the current struggle for democracy, Bangladesh will be free and all the leaders and workers will be free from misrule and we will be able to establish justice."