Fighting again to restore democracy

National Desk //

Alleging that the Awami League government has turned the country into a crematorium, the BNP has said there is no alternative to ending its rule.

The party said the “movement” that it started from Chattogram city yesterday would be spread across the country to oust the government.

“We are fighting again for restoring democracy in the country. It’s a big and tough struggle for us, and we must win it. We have no alternative but to win this battle. We will either win or we will die,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He was addressing a mammoth public rally, organised by Chattogram City BNP, at the port city’s Polo ground yesterday.

The meeting was the first of the BNP’s 10 rallies scheduled for its as many organisational divisions, protesting the ongoing power crisis, price hike of essentials and fuel oil and killings of five party men in “police firing” during the recent anti-government protests.

The opposition party will conclude the demonstrations through holding a grand rally in the capital on December 10.

Fakhrul yesterday said there would be no democracy in the country and the nation’s existence would be at stake if the BNP’s ongoing movement failed.

Painting a gloomy picture of the country’s economy, he alleged that the government destroyed the economy and all state institutions by indulging in corruption and laundering money abroad over the last “15 years”.

“This monstrous regime of the Awami League has turned Bangladesh into a crematorium,” he said.

Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent statement that there might be a famine in the world, Fakhrul said, “If it is coming, then why are you still holding the office? Leave the office safely. Otherwise, there will be no room for a safe exit.”

He said the US sanctioned the Rapid Action Battalion, but the sanction should have been imposed on the AL government as the Rab carried out extrajudicial killings and disappearances at the directives of the government.

“The United Nations and human rights groups have said that killings and disappearances were taking place in the country.”

The BNP leader said the only demand of the people is ouster of the government and holding of a free and fair national election under a non-partisan interim government.

Speaking at the meeting, chaired by Chattogram City BNP Convenor Shahdat Hossain, party standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said some policemen were involved in arresting and harassing opposition leaders and activists on their way to the rally venue just to make the government happy.