AL govt is 'worse' than Yahya Khan, says BNP's Rafiqul

Calling the incumbent Awami League government ‘more autocratic’ than former Pakistan president Yahya Khan, a senior BNP leader has said that only a civil uprising can bring it down.

"A tyrannical government is in power right now. This government is harsher than Pakistan's Yahya Khan," said party’s standing Committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah at a discussion on Friday.

"They (government) won't leave power if only three or four people die on the street. This government cannot be overthrown without a countrywide mass uprising," he said.

"Everyone must take it to streets to show this government that it won't last long and has no public support."

Miah said the present situation of the country was 'dreadful'.

"The prime minister's special envoy (HM Ershad) is accused in the (Maj) Gen (Md Abul) Manzur murder case. The government officials are corrupt and looting the people's money.

"Not just that, those became secretaries had obtained fake freedom-fighter certificates," he said.

Miah also claimed that he was not quoted correctly by the media regarding his comments on the reported meeting between a group of government officials and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Several television stations and online media reported a meeting at Khaleda's Gulshan office on Dec 4. They claimed the participants included a group of officials of the administration.

Later that night, BNP's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir rubbished the reports in a media statement. But several media quoted Rafiqul Islam Miah in their reports saying the meeting did take place.

Miah on Friday said, "The media did not quote me correctly. I had said that some conscientious people met Khaleda Zia because they felt the need to inform Khaleda Zia of their opinion due to the country's present situation."

"But I didn't say that bureaucrats met (with her). But media reports quoted me saying that. This is wrong."