BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir Wednesday alleged that the government has taken a 'terrible master plan' to remove the leaders of the opposition parties from the election field.
"When death nears and there is no hope of survival, many people try to hold on to something to stay alive. So, the sentences against the opposition leaders is part of their (govt’s) plan to completely destroy the politics of Bangladesh, depoliticise the country and remove the politicians from the field of politics and cross the election hurdle alone," he said.
Speaking at a press conference, the BNP leader said they have heard that the government has chosen to dispose of about 1,350 cases for jailing the opposition leaders before the next general election.
“The accused in each of the cases are the top leaders of opposition parties, including BNP. They (govt) have been now in the field with this terrible plan,” he said.
Fakhrul said the government is thinking that the senior opposition leaders will not be able to participate in the election if they are arrested and sentenced.
He said the ruling party leaders talk about the election as per the constitution since they have created a scope to play a one-sided game and score alone by amending the national charter as per their wish. “They’ll stay in power through a game (in the name of election) without any opponent. They’re moving towards that goal.”
BNP arranged the press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office to protest the hearing on a graft case filed against its acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman, and the High Court’s verdicts against party leaders Iqbal Hasan Mahmood Tuku, Amanullah Aman and his wife Sabera Aman in separate corruption cases.
Fakhrul said the hearing in the ‘false’ case filed against Tarique and his wife in 2007 was suddenly begun without giving the accused any scope for exercising their right to self-defence.
“Now very quickly witnesses are being produced every day and their testimony is being taken till night. We think a nail has been put in the coffin of the country’s judiciary through it,” he alleged.
When pro-BNP lawyers tried to talk about the matter in the special court in Dhaka, Fakhrul said they were not allowed to speak there.
“They (pro-BNP lawyers) were attacked by the pro-ruling party lawyers while police unlawfully entered the court and oppressed them. Then how can we say, there is a chance of a democratic election in this country? How can we say the opposition has the right to do politics, people have the right to vote, and journalists have the right to write in this country?” he questioned.
The BNP leader warned the government that nothing can suppress their party’s ongoing movement for the restoration of democracy. “This movement can't be stopped by filing cases against opposition leaders and jailing them. The people have woken up to defeat this regime through an uprising.”
He also said it is not possible to hold an acceptable election under the Awami League government in the country. “We would like to tell the government that there is still time. So, come to the straight path shunning the evil games and turning away from the path of deceiving people and torturing people…hand over power to an impartial caretaker government for conducting a fair and free election in the country.”
Protesting the verdict against BNP leaders Tuku and Aman, Fakhrul said the government’s main goal is to keep the opposition leaders away from the election by convicting them.
He also said ruling party leaders late Mohammad Nasim, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir were acquitted by the court in similar cases.