BNP's Gayeshwar dares govt to hold elections even if has to declare top party leaders ineligible

A senior BNP leader has dared the government to hold fresh polls under an ‘impartial administration’ even if it were to ‘conspire’ and declare Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and other top leaders ineligible to contest.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 8 Sept 2015, 06:30 PM
Updated : 8 Sept 2015, 06:30 PM

Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy alleged at a discussion on Tuesday that the ruling Awami League was plotting to bar the BNP chief, Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, and other leaders from taking part in elections, if one were to be held.
 
“I want to tell the government that they can declare Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and 50 or 100 leaders like me ineligible by putting us in jail, but I will ask them to hold the election,” he said.
 
“I can vouch that after that election, the ruling party won’t even be the main opposition party. We (the BNP leaders) won’t even have to contest. Our apprentices are enough.
 
“And if you (government) want to hold the polls in 2019, then we won’t even need Tarique Rahman, his daughter Zaima (Rahman) alone is enough to beat Sheikh Hasina,” Roy said.
 
The BNP had boycotted the 10th national election last year after the Awami League ignored its demand for holding it under a caretaker government.
 
Since the ruling party formed government for the second consecutive time, the BNP has been demanding snap polls.

But BNP Chairperson Khaleda recently dropped the party’s demand of election under a caretaker administration and, instead, called for fresh polls under an impartial government.
 
Gayeshwar Roy, speaking at the event  organised by the Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal, urged the leaders and activists to prepare to strike back if their anti-government movement came under attack.
 
Regarding the survey of the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI) that showed the Awami League was gaining popularity, he said, “If that’s true, then Awami League should prove how much popular they are by holding the election people want.”
 
“The government has not become that much popular to win (a fresh) election,” Roy added.