BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned on Saturday that the government would not be able to escape its downfall by bringing in a new leader, Prime Minister's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Addressing a discussion programme organised by the Nagorik Odhikar Rokkha Committee at the Jatiya Press Club, the BNP leader made the warning and said: "Awami League was defeated in five city corporation polls, including Gazipur, which it claimed to be one of its strongholds. Now, it brought a new leader to avoid its downfall. He cannot stop the downfall because he has no connection with the country's soil or its people."
The BNP acting secretary general also claimed that the Awami League earlier killed democracy in 1975 by introducing the one-party parliamentary system, and this was another step in that direction.
"The government has completed all its arrangements to kill democracy. If we do not stay alert right now, will we be able to protect our independence and sovereignty?" Fakhrul posed a question.
Saying that Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman was the most repressed person in recent times, Fakhrul alleged: "Mahmudur Rahman did not get justice even in the courts."
The BNP leader also said the country was passing through a critical time, and to save the country all had to wage a joint movement.
"Now is the time to form national consensus, forgetting all divisions. Socialists and expansionists will try to create divisions among us. To foil their conspiracies, we have to forge a tough movement," he said.
At another programme, another standing committee member of the party Barrister Moudud Ahmed welcomed Joy into the politics, and said it was not decent to attack BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman after just joining politics.
Criticizing Joy, Moudud said: "Tarique Rahman got involved in politics 20 years ago. If there was any competition held between Joy and Tarique, I believe Tarique would win, as he is further ahead in politics than Joy."
Moudud also said the Election Commission was subservient to the government, and demanded that a new commission be formed after demolishing the existing commission.
Replying to a query, Barrister Moudud said the HC verdict declaring Jamaat's registration with the election commission illegal would not affect the 18-party alliance.
