BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the government has unleashed the police to try and foil their party’s remaining divisional rallies.

“You (govt) are using the police to thwart our rallies. They’re creating trouble in different areas. They opened fire in Sirajganj. They shot the wife of our leader Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku. They also shot in Habiganj and Sylhet and created troubles there,” he said.

Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said the government is afraid of BNP’s rallies as people have woken up against misrule.

Jatiyatabdi Krishak Dal, the party’s agricultural wing, arranged the rally in front of BNP’s Nayaplatan central office, demanding lowering the prices of agricultural inputs, including fertiliser seeds, diesel and pesticides and ensuring the fair prices of all agricultural products.

Leaders and workers of the Krishak Dal from  different districts, including Dhaka, joined the rally. 

At the beginning of the rally, tribute was paid to  national leader Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, marking his death anniversary.

Fakhrul urged the government to resign immediately, dissolve the parliament and hand over power to a non-partisan caretaker government, creating a scope for holding a credible national election to be conducted by a fresh election commission. 

"Otherwise you will be washed away by the strong mass wave  of people. So I again call upon the government to choose a safe exit with dignity before time runs out,” he said.

Narrating the plight of farmers at the field level, Fakhrul said those who work hard from morning to night and grow crops and keep the people of this country alive are being deprived of fair prices for their produce.

“Now many marginal farmers drive push carts and vans leaving farm activities in the fields. This government has very systematically broken the backbones of the farmers,” he bemoaned. 

Call to farmers to join Dhaka rally

The BNP leader said there is no alternative to removing the current regime from power to get rid of the current situation in the country, tying it directly to the fate of the head of government .  "If Sheikh Hasina is to be removed, an impartial election must be arranged. Sheikh Hasina must resign before that election."

Tabith Awal, a central leader of BNP and a member of the party's foreign relations committee, said the government is unable to provide fertilisers and pesticides to farmers at a fair price.  “On top of that, it buys the goods they produce at a low price.”

He said the government is constantly cheating the farmers.  “So, the farmers should participate in BNP’s rally in Dhaka on December 10 and protest against all government injustices.”