Get ready for my call, Khaleda tells supporters

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has warned the government of stiff resistance, accusing it of persecuting the opposition.

Sumon Mahmudfrom Kishoreganjbdnews24.com
Published : 12 Nov 2014, 02:16 PM
Updated : 12 Nov 2014, 06:28 PM

Addressing a rally in Kishoreganj on Wednesday, the former prime minister levelled allegations of corruption and incompetence against the coalition government headed by her arch rival Sheikh Hasina.

The BNP-led 20-Party Alliance had boycotted the Jan 5 polls and has since been demanding a snap election under a neutral body but the government has rejected the demand.

Kishoreganj rally is part of the alliance's efforts to drum up support for its interim election demand.

She urged her supporters to respond to her agitation call in the manner they did before.

Khaleda claimed the government "was toying with the country".

"They (the government) will face the people's wrath once they leave office," she warned.

The BNP chief claimed 310 activists of her party had been killed and another 56 had been victims of enforced disappearances.

"This cannot go on. The people don't want the Awami League government anymore," she said.

Khaleda warned that her party would be left with no choice but to give a call for "tougher programmes" if the ruling party continued to place hurdled obstacles on their way.

"This illegal government cannot stay in office," she thundered.

'Will publish graft info in time'

Khaleda claimed she had 'proofs of corruption' by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and threatened to make them public.

Recalling the time of the military-backed 2007-8 caretaker government, she said she was incarcerated for over a year.

"I didn't leave the people but the other (Hasina) went abroad," she said, adding she had rejected the government's offer to leave the country with her sons.

The former prime minister claimed the caretaker government had offered her office in exchange of recognising it but she had rejected the overture.

She believed that stung by the rebuff the caretaker government put Sheikh Hasina's party in power.

"I asked them, who are you to offer me office? Only the people have this power. That's why they put Sheikh Hasina in office instead of me," Khaleda said.

She blasted Hasina for alleged corruption.

"Her brother and Mr [Abdul] Jalil have admitted to her corruption and misdeeds. We have these [proofs]. They will be published one day," she said.

'RAB is a murderer institution'

Khaleda accused RAB of killings and enforced disappearances and police of firing on her party activists.

The former prime minister urged the president to not issue these two forces arms and ammunition.

She also called on the UN to refrain from training RAB personnel, pointing out that several of its members were 'involved’ in the Narayanganj's multiple murders.

"I'd like to inform the foreigners that these two institutions are killing the country's youths in the name of combating militancy."

She renewed her demand of disbanding the elite police unit set up under her government.

"RAB has become a killer institution. They pick up youths from their homes and they never return."

'The three leagues'

In her 42-minute speech at the Gurudoyal Government College grounds, the BNP chief brought allegations of corruption and incompetence against the government.

She alleged the government was filing cases against opposition activists and was influencing the judiciary to deny them justice.

Khaleda said she was accused in five cases during the past caretaker government, while Hasina in 15.

When the Awami League came to power, only the cases against Hasina and Awami League were withdrawn.

She claimed the law and order, banking, education, health and commerce sectors, among others, were in a critical stage because of bad governance.

"The Juba League, Chhatra League and Swechchhasebak League -- these three leagues have become a feared force. They don't face trials for lootings and killings," the BNP chief said.

The three are Awami League's affiliates.

Referring to Health Minister Mohammed Nasim, she said, "He destroyed the police force when he was the home minister. And now, he has made the health minister corrupt."