Govt on way to ‘one-party rule squeezing democracy’, BNP chief Khaleda says

The government is walking the path to a ‘one-party rule squeezing all fields of democracy’, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has alleged.

She brought the allegation in a statement issued on Monday following her return from London after two and a half months away from home.

“There is no sign of democracy in the country. Basic and human rights have been crushed. The opposition party is deprived of all the political rights recognised by the constitution,” she said.

She also alleged that the media’s freedom of expression has been strongly reduced.

“In a sense, the rulers have created a suffocating situation,” she added.

The BNP chief returned on Saturday from London, were she was receiving medical treatment and where she celebrated Eid with her son Tarique Rahman’s family.  

“The government does not tolerate any opposing views. They are now speedily heading for  a one-party rule, squeezing all fields of democracy,” she said in the statement.

She urged all to be united in order to “recover democracy, which has been confined”.

The BNP chairperson also demanded the release of arrested leaders and activists.

The statement undersigned by BNP International Affairs Secretary Asaduzzaman Ripon claimed that over 3,000 leaders and activists of the party were arrested in the last few weeks.

“It has become a practice to send our leaders and activists to jail when they, honouring the laws, surrender before courts,” the statement said. 

Khaleda compared the Awami League government’s rule with that of Pakistan before the independence of Bangladesh.

“The people of the country rejected the rulers of Pakistan and established Bangladesh. Now the (evil) spirit of that dictatorship has possessed the ruling party,” she said.