The ruling Awami League has given BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia 24 hours to withdraw her statement and apologise to the nation for questioning the country’s sovereignty and interfering in the operations of patriotic armed forces.
General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam made the announcement yesterday while expressing his party’s reaction over the speech Khaleda delivered at a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Monday.
LGRD Minister Ashraf also said the BNP chief had made the comments by not heeding to the apology the daily Inqilab sought for the “false news” it had published on January 16.
Khaleda delivered a similar speech on the law enforcer’s crackdown in Satkhira on the people responsible for violence before and after the election, saying that the Indian army had carried out the operation together with the Bangladeshi law enforcers.
Issuing a note of warning to the BNP chairperson, the AL leader said: “Withdraw your false statement within 24 hours and apologise to the nation. Otherwise, the government will take necessary steps.”
He was speaking at a press conference held at the party chief’s Dhanmondi office, where party leaders Nul-Ul Alam Lenin, Mahbub-Ul-Alam Hanif, BM Mozammel Haque, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and Hasan Mahmud were present.
The joint forces comprises of members from Border Guard Bangladesh and the police, with support from the Rapid Action Battalion.
While addressing the party rally, Khaleda said: “It is difficult to believe that our law enforcers have conducted such violent drives against their own countrymen.” She hinted at the involvement of outsiders with the joint forces operation in Satkhira district.
After the daily newspaper published the report, quoting little-known online media, the law enforcers raided its office, arrested three journalists and sealed off its press. Later, the newspaper apologised for publishing the report without proper verification.
“Does she want a fight with our neighbouring countries? A political person cannot make such fearsome comments. The nation did not expect such irresponsible language from a former prime minister,” the AL spokesperson said.
“Where does she want to take the country by making this attacking comment on a friendly country?”
He said no one had the right to play with the country’s sovereignty, “it is a matter of national security.”
Criticising the 18-party chief for delivering a speech “full of lies,” Ashraf said: “She intentionally tried to instigate the neighbouring country by questioning the role of our law enforcers."
“Khaleda has a great spleen over everything. We want immediate stoppage of such situation. None can hinder the strengthening of democracy,” he added.
Ashraf alleged that the Jamaat-Shibir activists had joined Monday’s rally though no identified leaders were seen on the dais. “They joined the rally with arms and the government has evidence,” he claimed.
Regarding the interference of foreign diplomats in the country’s politics, the minister said: “Khaleda Zia has surrendered to ambassadors for power. She thought some ambassadors will make her the country’s prime minister. It is not good for our country.”
Khaleda had failed to uphold the image of the country, he said. “Apart from affecting her own image, she also ruined the credibility of the country by involving foreign powers into our internal matters.”
He claimed: “We do not have image crisis and not in shortage of friendly countries. So why will we allow the interference of foreigners in our internal political issues?”
Mentioning several meetings of the AL with foreign envoys, he said: “We talked about bilateral issues with them. Some time, they [envoys] want to discuss about our politics but we have not allowed this.”
Regardless of the country or alliance, the AL would not let them indulge in Bangladesh’s politics.
Ashraf claimed that the people were confused about the BNP’s actual political stance, as its central leadership was divided into many streams. There were two high-commands within the party. “Their politics is being operated by two heads.”
Regarding dialogue between the two major parties, the AL leader said: “Few days ago, Tarique Rahman [Khaleda’s son and senior vice-chairman of BNP] said no dialogue will be held with the government while Khaleda Zia said holding a dialogue is a must. They could not come to a consensus on whether they actually want a dialogue.”
