BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the ruling Awami League (AL) is pretending to be modest under pressure from the international community while at the same time conspiring to retain power by holding a controlled election.

Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul said they will soon announce the next course of action of their one-point movement to force the government to quit power and hold the next election under a non-party administration.

Also read: Assassination threat made against PM at BNP rally: Fakhrul slammed for ‘sharing stage’ with threat issuer

“As the election is ahead, they (AL) are changing their colour and pretending to be gentlemen... But their only goal is to bring the election in their favour again by any means, even by using power. They’re making a blueprint to this end,” he said.

Fakhrul also alleged the government is making all kinds of arrangements so that BNP cannot participate in elections.

Also read: Fakhrul hopeful about success of one-point movement

He said the government is working so that a level playing field cannot be ensured during the election by arresting BNP's top leaders and depriving the opposition of exercising rights as a party. “The biggest thing is that they are using the state machinery to pave the way for Awami League to come to power again through the next election.”

About the arrest of BNP leaders, he said the High Court judges are also helpless now as police are arresting the opposition leaders defying the court order.

Fakhrul said BNP Organising Secretary Abdus Salam was rearrested at the jail gate and implicated in a new case after he had been freed on bail by the High Court.

“It happens to everyone. Our Rajshahi leader Milon got bail but he was re-arrested at the jail gate in a new case. What kind of state is it? What kind of administration and governance system is here where cases are being filed against people only for their involvement in the politics of opposition and they are being arrested and kept in jail… They're not getting released even after bail from the High Court,” he said.

Also read: Govt to blame for US’s disrespectful visa policy: Fakhrul

The BNP leader regretted that some intellectuals and journalists from different media have been defending such activities of the government. “How can they defend these activities? It’s clear and true as day that Awami League is a fascist party…. They have completely taken away the rights of the common people."