Dialogue, election can't be fruitful with Khaleda in jail: BNP

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said no dialogue and election will be fruitful keeping their chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail.

A day before Oikyafront's scheduled talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he came up with the remarks at a human chain in front of Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

 “The government on one hand has offered dialogue, and extended Khaleda Zia's punishment on the other. These are two conflicting moves, which don't demonstrate the government's sincerity for talks,” Fakhrul said.

“Neither any dialogue nor any election will be fruitful keeping Khaleda Zia in jail. So, we would like to call upon you: please return to the path of democracy and create a democratic atmosphere,” he added.

Fakhrul said a credible election cannot be held in an atmosphere where the ruling party leaders are carrying out "unilateral" election campaigns using helicopters, while BNP leaders and activists are either in jail or on the run.

Fakhrul called upon people from all walks of life to get united and organised to "restore" democracy and their voting rights.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain alleged that doubling the punishment of their chairperson by the High Court in Zia Orphanage Trust case is an unusual and unprecedented incident.

The BNP leader warned that the country's people will not allow the government to hold any "lopsided" election like in 2014, the one without the participation of BNP and Khaleda Zia.

BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said though the ruling party ministers had long been saying that they would not engage in talks, the party has now agreed to hold dialogue, realising the nation's pulse.

“We would like to say that dialogue, election and movement will continue together. We'll carry out our movement until we succeed,” he added.

BNP formed the human chain protesting the conviction of its chairperson in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Several hundred BNP leaders and followers formed the human chain around 11:00 am in front of Jatiya Press Club amid tight security.

They chanted slogans, demanding immediate release of Khaleda, while police cordoned off the protesters to fend off any trouble.

BNP assistant office secretary Taiful Islam Tipu said law enforcers arrested some of their leaders and activists on their way back home, after joining the human chain.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday announced a three-day countrywide programme, including yesterday's human chain. As part of the programme, the party will observe a token hunger strike today in all metropolitan cities and district towns.