BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has said that they will go tough if the government does not cater to their peaceful demand for an interim election.
Addressing a crowded rally at the Boro ground in Nilphamari yesterday, the former premier also said the current government had got isolated from the people because it had been holding office standing on lies. “But none can stay in office for long in that way,” she said.
Khaleda claimed that no country had recognised the “illegal regime,” formed through the January 5 election that the BNP-led 20-party alliance and some other political parties had boycotted.
“So, do not think that holding photo sessions mean recognition. No country will give you [Awami League] legitimacy as there is no democracy in the country...The foreigners know that this government was not formed with people’s vote. So they will not recognise it,” she said.
The BNP chief regretted that although people had managed to isolate the capital from the rest of the country during the movement before the January 5 election, her party could not cash in on it in the city. She however assured that they would press with much better force in the capital this time.
“After carrying out mass contact with people, when time comes, I will tell you how the movement will be launched. This time we will not go home without ousting the Awami League government and restoring democracy and rule of law in the country. Our victory is certain because the people are with us,” she asserted.
Criticising the government for using a ruling party supporter for filing another case against her, Khaleda said: “Awami League always hurt people’s religious sentiments, grab houses and properties of Hindus and destroy their idols. We do not do business with religion; but the Awami League do.”
She blasted the government for attacking a peaceful rally of clergymen, who were protesting dismissed minister Latif Siddique’s offensive remarks on Hajj.
Compared to some of the other recent rallies that Khaleda Zia had attended in some other districts, this was much more crowded and colourful. Thousands of people from some of the adjoining districts including Kurigram and Lalmonirhat came to Nilphamari on buses, trucks and locally made lorries.
The entire Nilphamari district township put on a festive look with hundreds of archways erected on the roads that Khaleda’s motorcade travelled along. Most shops in the town were remained closed.
Leaders and activists of BNP’s ally Jamaat-e-Islami were very active at the rally venue yesterday. They were wearing white T-shirts with inscriptions demanding release of some their top leaders, who are being tried for war crimes. Some of the other smaller allies of BNP-Jamaat were also active.
In her speech, the former premier condemned the government for what she claimed were its misdeeds and misrule. She alleged that the government had indulged in widespread corruption and the ruling party men had deposited thousands of crores of taka in the Swiss Bank.
She alleged that the government had destroyed all the sectors in the country through plundering, corruption and nepotism. “The Awami League only know how to destroy. But they cannot build anything.”
She lambasted the Anti-Corruption Commission for not taking action against the “corrupt” ruling party men. “The commission has been indulging in corruption instead of preventing it.”
Opposing the government’s move to hike power and gas tariffs, the BNP chief warned that they would strongly protest if people were made to suffer further because of the hikes.
Accusing the government of using RAB and police like the infamous Rakkhi Bahini to “kill and abduct” people, Khaleda asked the law enforcers to stop complying.
“People have not given you the right to shoot at and attack peaceful movements,” she said.
Khaleda said the lawmakers had been acting like clowns because they were not elected with people’s votes.
During the rally, she handed over financial aid to the families of four people who were killed in incidents of alleged crossfire with law enforcers. Although the amount of aid could not be confirmed immediately, the families said they had been given Tk50,000 each.