BNP boycotts President’s dialogue: Fakhrul
PBC News: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has announced boycotting the President’s dialogues with political parties over the formation of a new Election Commission (EC).
He made the announcement while speaking at a human-chain formed at the National Press Club premises in the capital on Saturday morning demanding unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and allowing her to go abroad for advanced treatment.
Nari-o-Shishu Odhikar Forum formed the human-chain.
The BNP Secretary General said the dialogue (with President) has already been boycotted by most of the political parties. “We have clearly stated that this dialogue will yield no benefit. It is a meaningless dialogue. The Election Commission has almost nothing to do if there is a neutral government during the election.”
Mirza Fakhrul said, “We want to tell you it clearly that release Khaleda Zia right now. Then resign from power and hand over it to a neutral government. This is the only way. There is no other way beyond it.”
He said release of Khaleda Zia is now a demand of people. It’s a people’s demand. The government must have to accept it. If the government doesn’t accept this demand, it will have to face that consequence which other governments had to face in the past for ignoring the people’s demands.
Referring to the physical condition of the BNP chairperson at hospital, Fakhrul said Khaleda Zia is very sick now. “BNP has been struggling in a constitutional way over the last one and a half months to two months. We have hold numerous rallies and meetings across the country. Thousands of people from those rallies demanded the release of Khaleda Zia.”
The human-chain was attended by BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Selima Rahman, Chairperson’s adviser Amanullah Aman, Abdus Salam, Kalyan Party chairman Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Nagorik Oikya’s convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Labour Party’s chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran, BNP’s voluntary affairs secretary Mir Sharafat Ali Sopu, JCD president Fazlur Rahman Khokon, organising secretary Saif Ahmed Jewel, among others.
