Hasina must step down, dissolve parliament: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their stance is clear that no election will be held under Sheikh Hasina government and she has to resign and dissolve parliament before polls.

“She has to hand over power to a caretaker government. That neutral government will hold a free and fair election,” he said while addressing a massive crowd at Bangabandhu Uddyan during BNP’s Barishal Divisional rally.

He said that Awami League is trying to snatch votes again like they did in the elections of 2014 and 2018.

“They are trying to prove that the new Chief Election Commissioner is neutral who said the election will be held through Electronic Voting Machines. But we have strongly opposed it,” he added.

He said the government kept saying till date that Bangladesh is self-sufficient in food production and there is development everywhere.

“But the reality is 42 percent people in Bangladesh are still living under the poverty line,” said Fakhrul.

He said the ongoing movement of BNP is not only to save its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman or any leaders but it is for saving the people of Bangladesh.

He acknowledged and praised party activists and leaders who started arriving at the venue from Thursday defying all obstacles and facing immense struggle amid transport strikes.

Tens of thousands of opposition BNP activists and leaders joined the divisional rally in Barishal city on Saturday demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and national election under a non-party neutral government.

The rally began around 11 am at the city’s Bangabandhu Udyan while the central party leaders will join the rally shortly.

The crowd spilled out onto the surrounding roads-- 1.5 km off the venue, said locals.

People with banners and placards have joined the rally from different parts of the district by boat, raft, bicycle, on foot and even by floating on drums.

The BNP activists started gathering at the rally venue on foot since Thursday night from different districts and units under Barishal Division.

Many of them alleged that they faced obstacles at various entry points of the city as the ruling party men tried to intercept them.

Meanwhile, nine BNP activists were injured when the motorcade of Ishraque Hossain, member of BNP’s foreign affairs committee, was attacked by miscreants on the way to the party’s divisional rally venue in Barishal city on Saturday.

Bus, launch, speedboat, three-wheeler movements in Barishal division have come to a halt over the last couple of days, ahead of the BNP rally.

Suspension of public vehicle movement on roads and waterways have caused immense public suffering.

As part of its move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities.

The organisers said the rally is meant to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuel, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

BNP has long been demanding that the next general election be held under a caretaker government, not under any political government — a demand sharply rejected by the ruling Awami League.

Saturday’s rally will be the fifth by the BNP at the divisional level. The first one was held in Chattogram, the second one in Mymensingh, and the third and fourth in Khulna and Rangpur, respectively.