BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said the ruling Awami League government has to go and the opposition party's one-point movement cannot be silenced by oppression.
"Awami League has to resign [from power]. The movement cannot be silenced by sentencing, filing cases, and carrying out attacks on our men. This government will be brought down through intense movement," he said while addressing a protest rally held in front of the party's headquarters at Nayapaltan this afternoon.
Dhaka north and south units of BNP organised the rally protesting the verdict against BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman in a graft case.
Urging strong resistance, he called upon the countrymen to oust the AL government.
"We don't care what the US or India say. We'll listen to what people will say," he said.
Warning the AL government, he reiterated that they will not allow AL to stay in power and will not allow any election under Sheikh Hasina-led government.
Accusing the AL of clinging on to power by force and without people's mandate, he challenged the ruling party to face BNP on the field quitting power.
"If you want to play, then quit power and face us on the streets," Fakhrul said.
"Whatever the ruling government does, they won't be in power," he added.
The BNP leader said the government has failed to tackle the dengue situation which killed record people this year.
"Although a significant number of people have died of dengue this year, there is no initiative to solve it," Fakhrul said.
Earlier, on August 2, Judge Md Asaduzzaman of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court sentenced Tarique to nine years imprisonment and his wife Zubaida Rahman to a three-year jail sentence in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2007.
Terming the verdict "manipulated," BNP announced the countrywide protest rally later that night.
