BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said that the government wants to hold another ‘stage-managed’ election as per its blueprint to stay in power till 2041.
Speaking at a human chain programme, he also alleged the government signed an anti-state power deal with the Indian Adani Group as a bribe to the neighbouring country to cling to power.
The BNP leader said the government ‘ruined’ the constitution and made an arrangement for holding the election under a partisan government to establish a one-party rule system.
“Two elections were held under it in 2014 and 2018 without people’s votes… They have now a desire to stay in power till 2041. With that blueprint, they want to hold elections again in 2024 in the same manner,” Fakhrul said.
He said Awami League considers itself the owner of the country while the people are its subjects. “Awami League government has been treating us as subjects. So, we have to work more and drum up more public support to involve them with our movement. They (AL) have to be defeated by creating a turbulent wave of people through the movement.”
As part of a simultaneous movement in cities and districts, BNP’s Dhaka south city units arranged the human chain programme in front of its Nayapaltan central office. Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies took part in the programme, led by Fakhrul from 11 am to 12 pm.
BNP’s Dhaka north city unit also formed a human chain programme in the Badda area, led by party standing committee member Khandaker Mosahrraf Hossain.
Apart from BNP, Ganotantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote formed human chains separately.
Fakhrul said the Awami League government has been indulging in widespread corruption and plundering, forcing the world-famous newspapers to file reports on its corruption.
He said the power purchase deal with the Indian Adani Group is against the interests of Bangladesh. “We’re saying publicly that this agreement can’t go in favour of Bangladesh in any way.”
The BNP leader warned that the people of Bangladesh will not accept the deal with Adani. “The question has been asked by many people from abroad how could the Bangladesh government sign this agreement? They signed the agreement because they want to stay in power with bribes.”
