Dhaka, Nov 6 (Just News): Jatiya Oikyafront leaders today called upon the government to dissolve the parliament and form an election-time government to hold the next general election in a free, fair and inclusive manner.
“Otherwise, we along with people will ensure unseating of the government,” the alliance leader and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while addressing a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan this afternoon.
The alliance also threatened to arrange a road march towards Rajshahi on November 8 and hold a public rally there next day if tomorrow’s dialogue with the government goes in vain.
The second-phase dialogue between the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance and Oikyafront is scheduled to be held tomorrow.
The Oikyafront leaders and activists will also march towards the Election Commission office in Agargaon area of Dhaka if any positive outcome does not come from the dialogue, Fakhrul said without mentioning the date for the march programme.
Opposition alliance began the rally 4:00pm to drum up their seven-point demand and 11-point goal including holding of the next parliamentary election under a neutral administration.
The Jatiya Oikya Front threatened to launch street movement if the ongoing dialogue with the government does not yield any solution for holding free, fair and credible elections.
At a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka, the Front leaders warned to march towards the Election Commission if the commission does not delay for announcement of the schedule to the 11th general elections.
‘If the government does not meet the Front’s seven-point charter of demands in Wednesday’s talks at Ganabhaban, we will wage street movements like road march and rallies at divisional cities,’ said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who chaired the rally.
Speaking as chief guest, the Front top leader Dr Kamal Hossain demanded release of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia and other political prisoners and holding of fair elections.
‘A fair election has to be held,’ he said, calling upon the people to remain united and keep vigil to protect their voting rights.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president ASM Abdur Rob addressed the rally as main speaker. Alongside the top leaders, JOF leaders including Zafrullah Chowdhury, Sultan Mohammad Mansur, Krishak Sramik Janata League president Abdul Kader Siddique, Nagarik Oikya chief Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Mostafa Mohsin Montu, Subrata Chowdhury and BNP-led alliance leaders including Andaleeve Rahman addressed the rally.
The rally activities formally started around 1:30pm on Tuesday with recitation from the holy Quran.
Chanting slogans, thousands of front activists mostly of BNP started thronging to the rally venue from 11:00am holding banners, festoons and placards demanding release of Khaleda Zia.
The meeting venue was filled up by 2:00pm and stretched towards Matsya Bhaban crossing and Shahbagh.
The road between Matsya Bhaban crossing and Shahbagh intersection was halted due to the flow of the rally participants.
The rally of the Oikya Front was any first gathering in the capital Dhaka. The front earlier held rallies at Sylhet and Chittagong for public support of their seven-point demands that include resignation of the government, formation of a party-neutral government through discussion with all political parties, dissolution of parliament and reconstitution of Election Commission before the elections and release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and all other political prisoners from jails.
Mirza Fakhrul said the front wanted to sit for second talks with Sheikh Hasina but he warned that ‘no drama will be accepted’.
‘If the government does not meet the Front’s seven-point charter of demands in Wednesday’s talks at Ganabhaban, we would wage movement including marching towards Rajshahi and holding rally there on November 9,’ he said.
Rallies would also be held in Khulna, Barishal and Mymensingh to press for their demands, he announced.
Fakhrul said the dialogue with prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina was not fruitful but wanted to sit in the second dialogue with her as they wanted to reach a solution of the crisis.
‘But no drama over the next dialogue will be accepted’, he said, demanding, ‘You (prime minister) have to step down, the parliament have to be dissolved and a polls-time neutral government have to be formed.’
‘There is no alternative to these conditions,’ he added.
‘If the Election Commission does not differ the election schedule, we will march towards the commission,’ Fakhrul said.
Fakhrul said the government have to release Khaleda Zia at first place and then the cases against BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman have to be withdrawn.
He criticised the government for not keeping the promise of stopping arrest of the front and BNP activists and implicating them in false cases.
‘We were assured in the dialogue (on November 1 with Sheikh Hasina) that no arrested will be occurred and the cases will be withdrawn, the arrest and cases are going on’, he said.
Speaking as main speaker, JSD president ASM Abdur Rob began his speech chanting slogan for release of Khaleda Zia.
He also said that announcement of election schedule without any solution in the second dialogue with Sheikh Hasina would be met with movement including marching towards the Election Commission.
‘No trick from you will work and you have to meet our seven point demands,’ he said.
Krishak Sramik Janata League president freedom fighter Abdul Kader Siddique said he did not join BNP but joined Kamal Hossain’s Oikya Front only for restoring democracy.
He criticised the government for proposal of releasing Khaleda Zia in parole.
‘You could not be able to keep her confined,’ he said.
Kader Siddique blasted Sheikh Hasina and Hefazat-e-Islam chief Ahmad Shafi.
‘Shafi might forget the bloodshed of pious Muslims at Shapla Chattar, but I cannot,’ he said.
Nagarik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the promises in the dialogue with Sheikh Hasina have to be written.
He alleged that the government wanted to kill Khaleda Zia in the jail.
Manna’s remarks erupted slogans for about two minutes demanding release of Khaleda.
Mann said, ‘We will release her from jail at the cost of our lives in needed’, he said.
He said no election could be accepted keeping Sheikh Hasina in the power and demanded reformation of Election Commission and dissolve of the parliament before election schedule.
Gono Forum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu said the Oikya Front avoided violent movement, but want free, fair and credible elections.
BNP leader Mosharraf Hossain warned the government not to deceive them in the name of dialogue.
He said there would be no alternative of movement if their demands are not met.
BNP leader Moudud Ahmed said criticised the government or proposal of parole for Khaleda Zia.
He said it was Sheikh Hasina who took oath of prime minister when she was still in parole.
Moudud said the move for election schedule and continuous arrest of front leaders and activists was contradictory to reaching a solution to the political crisis.
He said the government would not be allowed to hold elections like of January 5, 2014 without any challenge.
(Justnews/ys/1828hr)
