Soon after the announcement of extending the blockade programme, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday urged the demonstrators to take care of the innocent citizens as they are not the opponents.
She also asked the government to shun the path of persecution and take that of “compromise.”
Urging the Election Commission again to postpone the January 5 polls, the former premier asked all concerned not to involve with the “farcical” polls-related process. Khaleda also urged administration and law enforcement agencies to carry out duties neutrally and not to go against the people.
“I urge the leaders and activists of 18-party alliance, other democratic parties, professional and social organisations to ensure that no innocent person is attacked or their property damaged,” the BNP chief said in a statement delivered to press last night.
“The peace loving innocent people are not our opponents. We are demonstrating to save the people, the country.”
Condemning the brutal attacks and deaths, Khaleda claimed that unidentified criminals were attacking the innocent people during the blockades. At one point, she, however, alleged that the Awami League cadres were behind these incidents.
“The ruling party and the prime minister herself have been engaged in propagating false propaganda cashing in on heinous activities to achieve ill political motive.”
Khaleda said the incidents made her surprised, aggrieved and sad. “Their [victims] pathetic wail is portraying a vivid picture of unforgiveable failure of public safety.”
On Sunday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the victims of blockade violence at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and criticised the BNP chief and its leaders for instigating anarchy.
In a video message, BNP’s Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed announced the extension of blockade until 5pm on Thursday.
“We have extended the blockade programme as the demand of election under a non-partisan government and postponement of the election schedule is not met,” said the newly-assigned spokesperson of the BNP.
He also requested the countrymen to sacrifice the sufferings they were undergoing because of the blockade programme.
In the last two weeks, the blockade programmes have so far caused deaths of dozens of people, injuries to scores of others and massive destruction to public property. Mindless blasts of crude bombs across the country have created severe panic among the ordinary people.
Khaleda in her statement said the government was blaming the opposition for the recent violence without any proof. “On this excuse, they are declaring publicly that they will go for more suppressive acts against the opposition. They have also blocked the way for the BNP to respond to the allegations.”
She said different neighbouring countries, the UN and many international communities had been worried about the existing condition of the country.
The BNP chief criticised the government for filing cases against top leaders of the 18-party alliance. Many leaders had been arrested while many others went into hiding. Police and detectives were looking for them.
“I am the leader of the opposition, but regular activities at my office cannot be done because of deployment of police and detectives [around the place], and their visible and secret activities...”
Accusing the government for closing some pro-opposition television channels and newspapers, Khaleda alleged that an abnormal and imbalanced situation had been created in the country by repressing the difference of opinions.
Yesterday, Party’s standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan told the Dhaka Tribune that the position taken by the Election Commission through the announcement of the election schedule has further narrowed down the options of a negotiated settlement of the current political stalemate.
Amid such a volatile political situation, UN Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez Taranco is scheduled to arrive Dhaka on December 6 and will stay to December 10. Political analysts said this visit could resolve the political deadlock.
“While the postponement of the schedule could very well have given a leeway to further efforts for a negotiated settlement, it could also have provided additional space to the government side to create a congenial atmosphere for a settlement upon arrival of UN Assistant secretary of state Mr. Taranco,” he said.
Khan, also a former minister, said, “ In a way this is another lost opportunity by the government having earlier missed the offers from the UN on two occasions in Dhaka and one occasion during the last general assembly at the UN. The key to a peaceful transition of power through an acceptable and inclusive election both inside and outside the country now has landed up entirely in the court of Awami League.”
