BNP senior leader Tariqul Islam yesterday asked their party men to get ready to take to the streets with a ‘do-or-die motto’ to get rid of the ‘current repressive’ acts and force the government to ensure a fair and neutral general election, reports UNB.

“We must strengthen our movement to ensure a credible and impartial election. We don’t have any other alternative, but to carry out our struggle with a do-or-die-motto,” he said.

The BNP leader further said, “How many more attacks and repressive acts will we have to endure? How many more our leaders and activists will have to be killed or made disappeared? For how many days we’ll have to stay in jail? So, let’s play a strong role in intensifying the movement putting aside disagreement among us.”

He came up with the remarks while inaugurating BNP’s member collection drive in the district at Jessore Press Club.

Tariqul, a BNP standing committee member, said they need to make their party stronger at the grassroots level to ensure its success both in the movement and the next polls.

He said the current government has failed to deliver on all fronts as it has no ‘experience’ to run the country. “It has the only experience in indulging in corruption, plundering and stealing public money.” Speaking at the programme, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said people will foil Awami League’s plan to hold another ‘Hasina-style’ national election through Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda.

He alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants to hang onto power ‘by force’ as she knows it very well that her party will not be able to return to power through an acceptable and neutral election.

Rizvi urged the Prime Minister to take steps to hold the next election under a neutral election-time government. Otherwise, he warned, her party will face a dire consequence. “The next election must be held under an election-time supportive government, not under Sheikh Hasina.”