The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance on Tuesday said
that the Election Commission was using ‘all devices’ to keep the
opposition out of the election as part of the prime minister’s plan to
‘cling to power’.
BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a news briefing at the
party central office termed the announcement of the election a ‘farce’
jointly enacted by the ‘illegal’ government and the Election Commission.
The briefing was organised on the first day of the 48-hour road-rail-
waterway blockade enforced by the BNP led 18-party alliance in protest
against the announcement of the schedule for the 10th parliamentary
elections. The alliance has rejected the schedule.
Rizvi said the Election Commission being ‘subservient’ to the government
had pushed the country into violence by announcing the election
schedule.
He said the announcement of the election schedule had deepened the atmosphere of uncertainty and caused disruption of peace.
Rizvi said the prime minister was trying to hold a ‘pre-arranged’ election to stay in power ‘forever’.
In reply to a question, Rizvi said BNP had said time and again that it
was interested in dialogue and consensus for holding a free, fair and
inclusive election. But the ruling party leaders and ministers did not
give any hints they were sincere about the dialogue.
He, however, admitted that there was still time to ensure participation
of all political parties in the election through positive discussion if
good sense prevailed upon the ruling party and they showed a positive
attitude.
Asked why the acting BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam
Alamgir did not come to the party office on the day, Rizvi said that
important leaders, including party standing committee member Hannan
Shah, were being arrested and said that the fact that that ‘various
forces’ of the government had unleashed ‘terror’ was not unknown to the
media.
He said Mirza Fakhrul was in touch with them giving ‘necessary
instructions’. All activities were going on under his leadership, he
added.
Asked about the education minister’s request to withdraw the blockade
considering school examinations, he said the education minister should
request the chief election commissioner to defer or withdraw the
election schedule.
Rizvi said that there would be no problem if the prime minister
resigned. Accusing the police, RAB and Awami League activists of
attacking opposition activists during the blockade, he claimed that
since Monday evening three leaders and activists of the alliance were
killed across the country, over 400 arrested, over 1,100 injured, cases
were filed against more than 4,000 leaders and activists and four were
jailed by mobile court.
He cautioned the ‘overenthusiastic’ members of law enforcement agencies
that they would face ‘trial’ for their role as the ‘strike force’ in
oppressing the opposition activists.
Rizvi protested at the arrest of BNP standing committee member Hannan
Shah and his remand in custody. He demanded immediate and unconditional
release of Hannan Shah. (source)