Slamming the government for what he called its 'repressive acts' including the arrest of opposition leaders and activists, BNP senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Monday said the entire country has been turned into a prison.

The Awami League cannot be a pro-liberation force since it does not believe in democracy, he asserted.

“The government forgets about the country’s people when it becomes desperate to cling to power. Such a situation is prevailing now in Bangladesh and the entire country has turned into a prison,” Dr Khan said.

The BNP leader said the Awami League government has long been resorting to repressive acts, killing and enforced disappearance only to hang onto power.

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He made the comments at a discussion programme at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Rashed Iqbal Khan Mukti Parishad organised the programme, demanding the release of BNP's recently arrested leaders and activists, Including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Moyeen Khan, a BNP standing committee member, said as an opposition party they are against the injustice and misdeeds of the government.

“According to the constitution, it is the responsibility of the opposition parties to ensure the accountability of the government for its wrongdoings. We believe in democracy.  But the government wants to eliminate the opposition to prolong its power,” he observed.

The former minister said the people of Bangladesh want to raise their voice and express their opinions freely. “This is the character of the people of Bangladesh. After all these years of independence, have we achieved it?  This question must be asked by the younger generation," he urged.

Dr Khan trashed the comments of Awami League leaders who said the people do not have confidence in BNP, saying, “How did the BNP’s 10 mass rallies succeed then?"