Apparently rejecting the prime minister’s remark on the next election that it would be held as per the constitution, the main opposition BNP yesterday said it would not participate in any election under the incumbent government.
“The prime minister’s statement about the next general election has frustrated the nation. People expected that the premier will come up with directives to resolve the ongoing political crisis, but unfortunately, her remarks led to deepen the crisis,” said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP acting secretary general.
The leader said: “Still there is time. We hope good sense will prevail upon the government and it will find out an acceptable solution to the ongoing crisis in consultation with all political parties.”
Fakhrul came up with his party’s instant reaction to the prime minister’s press briefing.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday reiterated that her government would hold the next parliamentary elections as per the provision of the country’s constitution.
“There is no chance of having any constitutional complications since the apex court of the country abolished the caretaker government provision. Everything will be done as per the constitution. We will not move an inch,” she told an emergency press conference at her official residence Gano Bhaban in the afternoon.
The senior BNP leader said they hoped that the prime minister would show the nation right way to find a solution to the political crisis but the nation became frustrated at her speech instead.
“People expected that she (PM) would act as statesman. We are observing with grave concern that the government is pushing the country towards violence, uncertainty and confrontation.”
The spokesperson of the party alleged that the government was trying to create anarchy in the country, sensing its massive debacle in the next election if it is held under a non-partisan government.
“I want to say to the premier that there are two parts in the verdict. In the verdict, it was said next two elections could be held under a caretaker government system for the interest of the country and its people, but the government did not talk about this part and pushed the country into a dark tunnel,” Fakhrul said.
Referring to the BNP-backed candidates’ success in the recently held city corporation polls, the veteran leader observed that people had made their position clear about holding the next election under a non-party administration through the polls results.
He alleged that the government was unilaterally trying to hold the next general election under their own administration but people won’t accept it.
The BNP leader said it is not possible to win the heart of people only by talking about development instead of resolving political crisis.
“People have already expressed their views about the government’s development activities. Former military dictator Ayub Khan observed decades of development during the Pakistan period but was compelled to step down from the office in the face of mass upsurge,” he hinted.
The acting secretary general of BNP alleged that the law and order deteriorated sharply and political leaders fell victim to enforced disappearance.
“As per UN charter, enforced disappearance is equivalent to war crimes,” he added.
Regarding the premier’s statement that Bangladeshi scientists sequenced the DNA of the local variety of jute, Fakhrul – welcoming the scientists – said: “The government wants to take the credit of all good making the countrymen fool.”
