Allow normal political activities, BNP urges govt
The government is trying to eliminate opposition forces
Asaduzzaman Ripon
Spokesperson, BNP
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) yesterday demanded a guarantee from the government that it will be allowed to carry out normal political activities in the country.
The people in the government are saying that the BNP would be able to carry out normal political activities. But we want a guarantee from the government that the party will be allowed to conduct normal politics, said BNP spokesperson, Asaduzzaman Ripon, at a press conference at the partys Naya Paltan central office.
As a pre-condition to this, all opposition leaders behind bars have to be released and cases against them withdrawn, he added.
The BNP leader alleged that the government is trying to eliminate the opposition in Bangladesh, instead of helping it to remain effective.
A strong opposition party is necessary to strengthen the democratic process in any country, but the government is trying to eliminate the opposition forces, alleged Ripon.
He called upon the government to give up its strategy of destroying the opposition. The government is making democratic institutions weak by weakening the opposition, assuming that it would be better off if the opposition becomes weak. Thats why the law and order situation has deteriorated greatly, which the government has not been able to tackle, he said.
The BNP leader also demanded that the government should hold an effective dialogue with the party about conducting an inclusive poll, and also reorganising the Election Commission in order to consolidate democracy in the country.
Referring to the comments by a minister that the BNP will be able to exercise normal political activities, he said they want a guarantee from the government.
Ripon, also the International Affairs Secretary, said the government is filing cases against the opposition leaders and activists in a bid to weaken the opposition.
But it has been proven time and again that false cases and sending politicians to jail cannot weaken any political party, he said, adding that the governments wish to stay in power might be fulfilled for the time being.
Such a move by the government will intensify peoples dissatisfaction and anger against it, while democratic institutions will become weak, he added.
Advocate Sanaullah Miah, Masud Ahmed Talukder, Abdus Salam Azad and Toimur Alam Khandaker among others were present on the occasion.
