BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday announced that her party and alliance would press ahead with the ongoing blockade and shutdowns until the movement came to its logical end.
Khaleda also placed a fresh three-point proposal, which includes a dialogue to hold election under an acceptable government, to resolve the prevailing political crisis.
The 69-year-old three times former premier once again squarely blamed the ruling party men for violence during her alliance’s blockade and shutdown programmes.
Khaleda, who has been staying in her Gulshan office since January 03, called for an international probe into the arson incidents.
She disclaimed any responsibility for her party’s involvement in the arson and bomb attacks on transports that had so far killed around 90 people.
Khaleda Zia was addressing a press conference at her Gulshan office – her second since she lodged herself in the office on January 03.
Terming the 15th amendment to the constitution the origin of all crises, she called upon the government to scrap the provision from the constitution.
The 20-party chief bitterly criticised the government for the arrest of opposition leaders and activists and demanded their immediate release.
“Killing, abduction and extrajudicial killing and harassment of opposition men by police should be stopped and false cases filed against them be withdrawn.”
She also demanded trial of those responsible for extra-judicial killings and lifting of the ban on political processions, meetings and rallies.
Issuing a note of warning, the BNP chief said if the ruling party did not take any initiatives to hold talks, then it would alone be responsible for everything.
“Although it is a so-called parliament, its session is in progress. Parliament can scrap the 15th amendment,” she said, adding that the ruling party can resign to pave the way for an impartial election.
Khaleda alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina did not keep her words as she promised before the January 5 election that a fresh election would be held after reaching a consensus on an election-time government through talks.
“If Sheikh Hasina keeps her promise only for once, peace will return and people will have relief,” Khaleda said.
She said the key to resolving the crisis is in the hand of the ruling party men and they can open the door for a national consensus.
“Only then we can celebrate the 45th Independence Day together.
“I hope that they will return to the path of compromise and take initiatives to resolve the crisis through talks,” said the BNP chief.
Khaleda alleged that the ruling party rejected her seven-point proposal outright and her party had no other option but to wage a movement to restore democracy and establish people’s rights to voting.
She called upon people from all walks of life to participate in the movement to intensify it. “I am requesting all to bear temporary pain for the sake of greater interest of the nation.”
Khaleda thanked foreign friends, different international organisations, media outlets and civil society members for their efforts to initiate talks.
“The BNP does not believe in politics of killing. We strongly believe that there is no place for killing and terrorism in democratic politics,” she said.
Khaleda blamed the ruling party for adopting different destructive measures to thwart the opposition movement which has virtually pushed the country towards the path of destruction.
“The government does not have the good will to resolve the crisis; it rather wants the crisis to prolong and that is why it is trying at home and abroad to brand the ongoing movement as a militant one,” she added.
“It will yield no good result; rather real militants will reap the benefit out of it which no one expects.”
Khaleda alleged that the ruling party leaders were continuously threatening her with imprisonment and capital punishment and harassing her in many different ways.
“But nothing will work. Only an election under a non-partisan government can solve the problem.”
She asked her party men to be active in the movement: “Be active and wage a movement from your position and in your area. Create a greater unity through the movement.”
She said: “This is a movement for an ideology; this is a movement to restore people’s right…This movement is not aimed at assuming power. This is a movement to build democratic, peaceful and self-dependent Bangladesh.”
BNP’s Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman, Khaleda’s adviser Abdul Kayyum and Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan, Mohila Dal General Secretary Shirin Sultana, and press wing officials Shamsuddin Didar and Syrul Kabir Khan were present at the press briefing.