BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that the ruling party is trying to create a confrontational situation with their counter programmes and words and actions centring the opposition’s grand rally in the capital on July 27.

Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he warned that the government will be held responsible if any untoward incident happens due to the provocative moves by the ruling party and its associate bodies.

“You must have noticed the ministers of this illegitimate government have been making serious threats for several days…special persons in the government are making provocative statements and doing provocative actions,” the BNP leader said.

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He said Jubo League had a rally for July 24 in the city, but the youth wing of the ruling Awami League has shifted it to July 27 countering BNP’s grand rally. “It’s clear that they did it to create a situation which is not acceptable in any way.”

Fakhrul also said the ruling party leaders are speaking using the language of terrorists. “But the country’s people will build a resistance against them.”

He said their party continued their movement peacefully and democratically though their two activists were killed recently while many others were attacked and implicated in false cases.

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“We hope that the Awami League and Jubo League will avoid a terrible conflicting situation and the government will ensure it,” the BNP leader said.

Asked about their rally venue, he said they have informed the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner about the programme and a decision on the venue will be finalised soon.

Fakhrul hoped the DMP authorities will cooperate with BNP to make their democratic and peaceful grand rally a success.

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From their rally, the BNP leader said they will send out a message to ensure the fall of the current regime through the ongoing one-point movement. “It’s a movement of the people and I’ll succeed.”

The press briefing was held after a joint meeting of BNP and its associate bodies and different district units adjacent to Dhaka to make the grand rally a success.

Fakhrul said the current regime wants to cling to power by using the state machinery as they know very well that they are not a legitimate one. “They’re filing false cases against us and increasing the level of their repression. The worst thing is that they have snatched our constitutional right to speak, express opinion and hold assembly and meeting.”

He said that it is not only BNP's demand to hold the next elections under a neutral government but also that of the people of the country and all opposition parties.

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Fakhrul said even the opposition parties like Jatiya Party, CPB and Islamic Andolan Bangladesh, who are not with the BNP’s simultaneous movement, are saying the government should resign immediately to pave the way for a fair election. “There’s no opposition party left in the country who thinks that there can be any fair elections under this government.”

The BNP leader said the government has been repeatedly talking about holding the polls as per the constitution that they amended completely unconstitutionally and illegally. ”That is why this government is also illegal. This government must resign… that is our main demand.”

He said they waged the one-point movement demanding the resignation of the current regime with a huge participation of the country’s people. ”They (people) have taken to the streets.  I believe that through the united movement of the people, this government will be forced to give a free, fair and acceptable election under a neutral non-partisan government. We are working towards that goal.”

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Fakhrul said, "I have a request to the whole nation - that the time has now come for the people of Bangladesh to join the movement to get back their rights. This movement will be successful.”

He also said that government officials should express their solidarity with the movement.

"I would like to tell the government officials and employees that we never believe in the politics of vengeance," he assured bureaucrats. "We believe that the demand of the people will be supported by all.”

Replying to a question, Fakhrul said it would be pointless for the European Union to send observers to Bangladesh if there is no participatory election here. “It won’t be any election if we and the opposition parties don’t participate in it. So, sending observers here would be meaningless.”

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