BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said Awami League is ‘arbitrarily’ using bureaucracy to cling to power as it has become politically bankrupt.

“Awami League has lost its capability by arbitrarily using the bureaucracy only for hanging onto power. In fact, the bureaucracy has now become 'Bureaucratic League' while Awami League has become politically bankrupt,” he said.

Fakhrul came up with the remarks while speaking at an extended meeting of Thakurgaon district unit of BNP at a community centre in the district town.

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He alleged that the ruling party has long been trying to suppress its political opponents with repressive acts and filing ‘false’ cases against them by ‘using’ law enforcement agencies.

“They (govt) have been controlling all the state machinery, including the judiciary, administration, police and other law enforcement agencies to make their political gains,” Fakhrul alleged.

He said it is unimaginable to file political cases against 35 lakh opposition leaders and activists in a democratic country, but the current government did it to eliminate its opponents.

The BNP leader alleged that the opposition leaders and activists are being implicated in ‘false cases’ for holding meetings and carrying out political activities as the government has established the one-party rule under a different cover.

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Fakhrul urged the government to step down and arrange a credible general election by stopping filing cases against opposition leaders and activists and harassing them.

“The government must hold the next election under a polls-time neutral administration as per people’s hopes and aspirations,” he said.

Fakhrul said the government will have to constitute the Election Commission with neutral persons for holding the national election in a fair and credible manner.

He also called upon all political parties to get united to force the government to restore democracy and people’s voting rights through a strong movement.