The latest presidential election has proved the current constitution needs to be amended, as it is not conducive to resolving the country’s problems, according to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Fakhrul also described the Prime Minister’s assertion about credible polls under the Awami League government as laughable, and reiterated that BNP will not join any more polls under the current regime.

“The president-elect said in a television interview that he knew nothing about it (his nomination). We also didn’t know anything about it. This presidential election proves that the existing constitution can’t resolve the problems of the country. So, the constitution must be amended,” the BNP leader said.

In an address prior to launching the BNP Dhaka South City unit’s march programme, he said their party talked about amending the constitution in the 27-point memo it presented earlier for the reform of the state.

He said a balance should be ensured between the power of the Prime Minister and the President and a polls-time caretaker government system must be restored for ensuring a participatory credible election - all of which requires amending the constitution.

As part of BNP’s scheduled programme on Friday,  the leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka South City unit marched from Motijheel to Nayabazar to press home the party’s 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party caretaker government.

Mirza Fakhrul along with party standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman launched the march around 4:05 pm at Gopibagh.

The programme was also meant for registering the party’s protest against the rise in the prices of power and gas and essential items, repression on the opposition and mounting pressure on the government to release party chairperson Khaleda Zia without any condition.

Through the silent march,  Fakhrul said they would send out a message to the city dwellers to wake up and resist the current government’s misrule and repression, besides the failure to run the country and check the growing prices of essential items.

“The government has turned the country into a failed state. They badly destroyed the country and its institutions. Like the previous year, the USA again did not invite Bangladesh to its Summit for Democracy. It’s a matter of sorrow,” the BNP leader said.

He said Awami League is basically a 'terrorist' party which always wants to cling to power by resorting to violence and spreading panic among people. “They usurped power in 2014 and 2018 by creating a reign of terror and intimidating people. They’re again trying to again grab power by force in the upcoming election. BNP and the country’s people will not go to any more polls under the Awami League government.

“The Prime Minister is saying to the foreigners who are coming to Bangladesh that there will be very good elections under the Awami League-led government and everyone will be able to vote freely. Even the horses started laughing after hearing such a remark,” Fakhrul said.

He unequivocally said BNP and the people of Bangladesh will not join any election under the Awami League government. “The people of Bangladesh will never accept any election in which they won’t be able to cast their votes.”

Fakhrul urged the government to quit immediately without wasting any more time. “You must step down, and dissolve the parliament after taking steps for holding the next election under a non-party caretaker government to be conducted by a new Election Commission. Otherwise, the country’s people won’t spare you.”

The BNP leader said the government has been using law enforcers to cling to power illegally by force. “The USA imposed sanctions on RAB as they indulged in extra-judicial killing at the behest of the government. They (govt) are now using police to kill the opposition leaders and activists and repress them.”

10 BNP activists killed by police since Aug

Referring to a report from rights body Ain O Salish Kendra, Fakhrul said 72 people were subjected to extrajudicial killing by police in the last 13 months.

He said police also unfairly obstructed the opposition’s political activities and gunned down 10 BNP leaders and activists during the ongoing anti-government movement that began in August last year.

The BNP leader also alleged that police arrested many leaders and activists unlawfully and raided their houses and repressed them.

He said the common people are gradually getting poorer while the ruling party men are getting richer by indulging in corruption and plundering. “They've indulged in plundering and theft in a way that now there’s no money in the bank and no dollar for opening LCs to import goods. They have exceeded all limits of theft.”

Earlier, the leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka north city unit marched from Uttara’s Jasimuddin Road intersection to Abdullahpur.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain inaugurated the programme along with other party senior leaders, including Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Abdul Awal Mintoo around 3:35pm.

Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the two separate programmes, carrying banners, national and party flags, festoons and portraits of the party's top leaders.

A huge number of law enforcers have been deployed in the areas to maintain law and order and fend off any untoward incidents.

Apart from BNP, LPD, Gonoforum, People’s Party, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote and Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote also staged the march programme in different areas of the capital at different times on Friday as part of the simultaneous movement to oust the current government.

BNP’s other metropolitan city units will hold a similar programme on Saturday.

 Earlier, leaders and activists of the party’s Dhaka north and south city units observed the march programme on January 28, 31, 30 and February 1, respectively, to push for their 10-point demand.