The ruling Awami League yesterday said the opposition BNP would not be able to realise any of its demands through movements on the streets, rather it has to join parliament session and sit for discussion with the government.
“They [BNP] have to place in parliament their proposals on the process of holding the next general elections in a free and fair manner, and only then discussions can be held to reach a solution,” AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said.
He was briefing journalists in front of the AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue as BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was addressing a grand rally at Nayapaltan giving an ultimatum to the government to make a formal announcement on restoring the non-party caretaker government system by June 11. Several thousand AL men, including some ministers and lawmakers, were present on Bangabandhu Avenue from early morning.
Speaking at another press briefing last night at the parliament media centre, Hanif said, “The government has nothing to do with the deadline [given by BNP] as the caretaker government system was abolished in line with a Supreme Court verdict. Therefore, there is no scope to bring back the system.”
He said the ruling party would accept any good proposal from BNP on the process of holding a credible election if it is placed in parliament.
On the opposition's threat to gear up anti-government movement, the AL leader said the government would not succumb to any threat or pressure. He claimed that the BNP chief was disappointed as her party failed to organise a mammoth rally, and that is why she told sheer lies against the government.
BANGABANDHU AVENUE BRIEFING
Hanif said Awami League was born through mass movements, took part in all movements since 1949 and brought independence of the country in 1971. So, it is not possible to realise demands through movements (since AL is in power), he said referring to the demands made by the BNP chief and leader of the opposition in parliament.
Hanif, also a special assistant to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, spoke on different allegations made by Khaleda Zia at the rally.
Hanif said neither the government nor the ruling party obstructed the opposition men from joining their rally and they (AL) would never do so in future. As a democratic political party, AL never believes in obstructing opposition's programmes.
Asked about the panic among people over the government's alleged actions snapping communications with the capital, the AL leader said panic was created by the opposition leaders' statements over the last couple of weeks threatening the ministers, lawmakers and AL leaders. And for this, common people preferred to stay home instead of joining the rally.
He also claimed that the government did not impose any restriction on the movements of public transport.
On Khaleda's statement that the government was afraid of the people, Hanif said it is not so since the AL is a political party with deep roots in the country and enjoying huge public support. “The party was born among the people, works for the people and people are its main strength.”
On allegations of failure of the present government, the AL leader said it has more successes in education, agriculture, power, health and various other sectors than all other governments in the past.
He went on, “The former prime minister [Khaleda] resorted to corruption through Hawa Bhaban, militancy and criminal activities in the country, siphoned public money abroad and whitened black money.”
On the BNP rally, he said the main reason behind holding it is to foil the war crimes trial and getting the detained war criminals released.
Asked why AL men were present on the city streets yesterday, he said it was not for obstructing the opposition rally but it was for ensuring that the opposition activists could not create chaos, and for helping the law enforcers prevent anarchy. Some Jamaat-Shibir men were caught by the police with firearms and sharp weapons, and it showed that the opposition had plans to create anarchy, he said.
The AL leader said BNP would get government support if they organise peaceful programmes in future.
On the blackout of some television channels yesterday, he said the government had no involvement in it since it is not afraid of the media. The channels which did not go for broadcast could only say why they did so, and whether they had any technical faults.
On the expansion of the BNP-led alliance from four-party to 16-party, Hanif said, “It is meaningless to expand a coalition with name-only parties. We don't take this into account.”