Khaleda pins hope on 2015 to force Hasina govt bow to snap poll demands

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia hopes to make the government accede to her party's demand for an early general election under a nonpartisan administration in 2015.

"We have given them (government) a year. They have taken the country towards near destruction. This cannot continue," she said warning of the upcoming anti-government agitation.

She was speaking at the greetings exchange programme with the Christians ahead of Christmas at her Gulshan office on Tuesday night.

Khaleda urged all to join the movement to overcome the 'torrid' situation.

"Our victory in this movement is guaranteed. I'm hopeful that 2015 will be the year of democracy and development."

The BNP chief had her party and allies in boycotting and in efforts to thwart the last general election on Jan 5 this year through which the Awami League came to power for a second consecutive term.

Since then she has been rejecting the newly formed government and demanding early polls under an impartial administration. But the Awami League-led government has only ignored her demand.

Khaleda is supposed to announce fresh string of programmes to overthrow the government.

Criticising the government, she on Tuesday alleged, "The government's only policy is repressing the people by abduction and killing."

"We are passing a hard time. Every leader of my party has been sued. Our secretary general is accused in 59 cases."

She said people of no specific religion in Bangladesh were living peacefully under the incumbent government.

The former prime minister made counter allegations that the Awami League was responsible for the attacks and vandalisms on the Buddhist at Ramu and Hindu temples and communities in different areas of the country.