The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday asked the party people to get ready to oust the ruling Awami League government through a popular uprising.
‘No dictatorship just goes away. It has to be removed. So there is no alternative to a popular uprising to remove this government. Prepare for this,’ BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain asked the party leaders and activists.
Addressing a rally in Dhaka, Mosharraf said that there had been no incident like the withdrawal of escorts of foreign diplomats in the country in 51 years of independence.
‘The government did not get any benefit by visiting foreigners. So the government has gone mad. Be careful. Don’t fall into any conspiracy or trap. The government will be forced to hold elections under a non-partisan, neutral government,’ he said at the rally.
The rally was held before the start of a road-march programme organised by the Dhaka metropolitan north unit of the BNP to protest against the continued arrest of BNP leaders and activists across the country.
Mosharraf said that there was corruption from the highest level to the lowest level in Bangladesh.
The country’s money has been smuggled and emptied, and the people of the country cannot eat their two full meals in a day, he said.
‘The middle class is getting poorer. The government has increased the prices of daily necessities at its will,’ he said, adding that the people of the country do not go to vote during this government.
‘A by-election held a few days ago saw just 14 per cent voter turnout. This means that no one wants to vote under this government. Sheikh Hasina [prime minister] will not allow any more votes to remain in power,’ he said.
At the end of the rally, the activists started the road march in front of the North Badda Shahjadpur Subastu Tower, passed through Rampura, and ended at the Malibagh Abul Hotel crossing.
Several hundred BNP leaders and activists joined the road march with colourful caps and placards.
BNP vice-chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo, social welfare affairs secretary Kamruzzaman Ratan, student affairs secretary Rafiqul Islam Bakul, health affairs secretary Rafiqul Islam, and national executive committee member Tabith Awal spoke at the programme, among others.
