The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party said on Tuesday that prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation was a precondition for a free and fair election and that all BNP’s demands would be met if this precondition was fulfilled.
‘If this occurs Khaleda Zia [BNP chairperson] will be freed, as well as BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Mirza Abbas. Even our acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, will be able to lead the nation with his physical presence,’ BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said in a human chain programme in front of the National Press Club.
Thakurgaon Nationalist Forum in Dhaka organised the human chain programme to demand the release of Khaleda Zia, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and standing committee member Mirza Abbas.
Gayeshwar said that as long as ruling Awami League president Sheikh Hasina remained in power, the police, RAB, and all the people in the administration would create obstruction.
‘If Sheikh Hasina is not in power today, tomorrow the police will be polite, the police will be on the side of the people, and the police will not go to the polling centre at night to vote. The administration will then act as the servant of the people,’ he said.
He claimed that the BNP secretary general and other leaders had been detained unjustly.
‘We just want to say a word before the court or judiciary, we want justice. We do not want any grace, we do not want mercy,’ he said.
Referring to Khaleda Zia’s demand for justice in the court, Gayeshwar said that she got injustice, but she did not get justice.
‘Our leader is facing injustice. In the history of Bangladesh, there is no one except Khaleda Zia who has not gotten bail in such cases,’ he said, adding that while Khaleda Zia was denied bail, ruling Awami League lawmaker Haji Salim was granted it despite being convicted of embezzling crores of money.
BNP leaders Amirul Islam Khan Alim, Mir Nawaz Ali Nawaz, and Kazi Abul Bashar were present in the human chain protest under the chairmanship of Sohel Rana, president of the Thakurgaon Nationalist Forum.
