BNP hits back at Quader
BNP yesterday criticised Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader for his remarks on its planned rallies in six cities, saying the ruling party starts "shaking" when it hears about the opposition's programmes.
"Obaidul Quader and his party men start shaking when they hear about any rally of opposition parties as the facts started coming out of Pandora's box," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office, he said AL has failed to ensure good governance.
On Friday, BNP's defeated mayoral candidates announced to hold rallies in six cities protesting what they said vote fraud in the elections to Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal and Rajshahi city corporations.
Reacting to such programmes of the party, Quader said BNP is trying to destabilise the country by creating unnecessary tension, and warned of tackling it with an iron hand if the opposition tries to resort to violence.
Rizvi said their mayoral candidates in six cities announced to hold rallies to protest election irregularities and mount pressure on the government to hold the polls in a neutral and credible manner.
"This is the democratic way. Why does Obaidul Quader sense a threat here?"
He alleged that the ruling party general secretary's threat has exposed the current government's "repressive and authoritarian" rule.
"His (Quader) remark has proved once again that Awami League has never learned the democratic culture, tradition and liberal attitude that are essential for a vibrant democracy," the BNP leader alleged.
He also said there is no point of issuing a threat to BNP as the government's "misdeeds" are gradually getting leaked.
Stating that holding rallies is constitutional and democratic right of political parties, Rizvi said no political leader can issue a threat to resist such programmes.
PROTEST PROGRAMME MONDAY
BNP yesterday announced a countrywide protest programme for Monday to mark the third anniversary of the imprisonment of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a graft case.
Rizvi declared the programme at the press conference.
"February 8 will mark the third anniversary of the jailing of our leader Khaleda Zia. On this day, BNP will hold protest rallies in all districts and metropolitan cities across the country, including Dhaka," he said.
On February 8, 2018, Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. The High Court later doubled her five-year jail term.
Khaleda was found guilty in another corruption case the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year, and later extended it by six months.
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