Govt not allowing minimum democratic space to opposition

The government is unwilling to allow minimum democratic space to its opposition, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged yesterday.

Talking to journalists after placing floral wreaths at party founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave in the capital to mark the party’s 41st founding  anniversary, he said, “We are now practicing politics in a very adverse situation. Our  founding anniversary programmes have been obstructed across the country.  This means the government doesn’t want to allow its opposition the minimum democratic space,” he said.

Fakhrul further said their party will intensify the movement to ensure release of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and to restore democracy in the country. The BNP leader reiterated the party’s demand of scrapping the last parliamentary election result and fresh elections under a neutral Election Commission.

“We are waging a movement on these two issues, and the movement will be intensified,” he said while senior leaders of the party, accompanied him at the graveyard.

Fakhrul alleged that the government is conspiring to annihilate its opponents after “destroying democratic structures through repressive acts”.

“The government has continued all types of plots to wipe out opposition politics and disagreements. As part of it, our leader Khaleda Zia has been put behind bars unlawfully,” he said.

The BNP leader further said, “There’s no democracy in the country; democratic structures have been destroyed through repression and suppression. That’s why BNP must restore democracy and free our leader [Khaleda] through a united struggle together with people.”

He said the birth of BNP is an important incident in Bangladesh’s political history, as the party restored democracy in the country and introduced multiparty democracy.

Meanwhile, a section of BNP activists attacked Dhaka city unit BNP leader Bajlul Basit Anju and Ahsanullah Hasan in the area later in the day.

Witnesses said aggrieved Dhaka city party leaders and activists swooped on Anju and punched him while he was leaving the spot. Party sources said there were allegations against Dhaka north BNP leaders of being engaged in various irregularities during formation of the thana and ward-level committees.