Staff Reporter:
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday urged the government to release im-mediately the party’s ailing chairperson and thrice-former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, without any con-ditions attached to avert dire consequences.
Speaking at a mammoth rally in the capital, the BNP’s largest public show of strength this year, he also called upon the opposition leaders and workers to put up a strong resistance against the current ‘barbaric’ Awami League government braving the fear of death.
“We would like to clearly say, free our leader immediately (without any conditions). Otherwise, you have to prepare for any consequence,” the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul also said the country’s people will no longer let Khaleda unfairly stay in jail. “You (govt) have to keep it in mind.”
Stating that the country is not safe in the hands of the current ‘looter regime’, he called upon the coun-try’s people to take to the streets to remove Awami League from power.
The BNP leader also said their party will intensify the movement to protect the country from Awami League’s misrule and restore people’s lost rights. “We have no other alternatives. This government’s presence means destruction for our country, democracy and our people.”
BNP arranged the rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office, demanding the unconditional release of Khaleda Zia. It was in fact the first major rally arranged by BNP in eight months since the pivotal events of October 28 last year, following almost the entire leadership of the party active in Bangladesh was jailed.
Fakhrul said the legal and water experts are expressing that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed various deals with India sacrificing the country’s interests during her recent visit.
“We want the fair shares of water (from the common rivers with India). We want killings along the bor-der to stop. We want solutions to our problems… Sheikh Hasina earlier said she gave India everything generously. What has Bangladesh gained?” he said.
