Hasina’s speech is pushing Bangladesh towards fresh wave of crisis: BNP

The BNP is frustrated as it sees no sign of a compromise on an election-time government in Sheikh Hasina’s address to the nation.

Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in his immediate reaction to the prime minister’s speech on Friday, said the head of the government has pushed the country towards ‘another wave of crisis’.

Hasina, in the televised speech to the nation on the completion of her government’s fourth year in office, made it clear that she will be heading the government for the next general election like she did in the 2014 election marred by a violent boycott by the BNP.

The prime minister, referring to the violence unleashed by the coalition of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami during the election, said the people will not accept any such move with the BNP still firm on its demand for neutral, polls-time government. 

Unlike the 2014 election, the BNP has expressed eagerness for talks on the issue several times ahead of the next parliamentary polls scheduled for late 2018.  

“We haven’t seen any sign of compromise to end the crisis in the prime minister’s speech. That’s why I am describing it as a reason behind our huge frustration,” Mirza Fakhrul said.

“We think her speech is unquestionably pushing the country towards another wave of crisis instead of solving the current one,” he added.

The BNP leader said they expected the prime minister to make an announcement on resolving the ‘crisis’ over the polls-time government and making the next election ‘meaningful’.

“But unfortunately her speech has nothing that can solve the crisis. The nation is frustrated,” he said, adding that the people wanted to see ‘truly meaningful and fair election’.

Mirza Fakhrul claimed the truth about the 2014 election was not reflected in Hasina’s speech.

“The nation knows that only 5 percent voters took part in that election,” he said.  

“It (Hasina’s speech) has proven that they do not sincerely want to restore democracy through an inclusive election for which the people are waiting. That kind of election is not happening now,” he added.  

The BNP leader said it sees a ‘threat’ in the prime minister’s comments that ‘no anarchy will be allowed’.

"It is them (Awami League) who create such anarchic situation that hampers election," he said.