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Khaleda announces “march for democracy” on Dec 29
24 December, 2013 | 19:31 | by nextnewsbd.com | Share
Dhaka (newsnextbd.com) – Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia on Tuesday called all concerned to join a march towards Dhaka which she terms “march for democracy” on December 29 to protect democracy and establish peace.
The former prime minister’s call came only 12 day ahead of the 10th parliamentary elections that the opposition alliance boycotted over its demand for a non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee the national polls.
She asked the people from all strata to begin the journey along with national flag on their hands and gather in front of Bangladesh Nationalist Party headquarters at NayapPaltan in Dhaka on that day.
The former prime minister also called her activists and supporters to resist the Awami League-led ruling alliance’s attempt to hold a voter-less election on January 5 since her BNP-led opposition alliance has been on the street to demand a non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee the national polls.
The opposition rejected the government’s offer to join an all-party administration for credible oversight of the elections and launched non-stop street agitation that left more than 100 people since the election authorities announced the schedule for 10th parliamentary polls on November 25.
Khaleda Zia accused the government of plotting to stage a ‘farcical’ general election saying that the Awami League has snatched the people’s voting rights as 154 lawmakers has been elected unopposed in the “farcical” elections.
She said it was not an election, rather a selection and people were denied their rights to franchise.
The BNP-led alliance has boycotted the polls saying that the Awami League might rig the polls if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains on the helm.
“Democracy is dead today, long live democracy,” she said referring to the Awami League’s rule of five years and said that human rights is trampled in the country now.
She accused the government of launching repression on opposition activists,
She also the residents in the capital to gather in front of party’s Nayapaltan headquarters to extend support for credible elections under a neutral non-partisan administration.
Khaleda, who enforced the blockades since November 26, urged the government not to impede the marchers by blocking roads, transport and hotels. She called the government not to arrest or harass the opposition supporters.
“Any attempt to deny the people this right will be resisted and we will be forced to announce even tougher programmes.”
The chief of BNP-led alliance unveiled four point approach to intensify the movement including strengthening coordination among the movement participating people, shun the path of divisiveness and unite in the larger national interest. Strengthen the politics of resolving all national issues through people’s participation, dialogue and referendum.
She asked the party leaders and activists to strengthen voting center based local resistance committees and form groups for ‘preservation of democracy and sovereignty’ at district, Upazilla and town levels to resist the January 5 polls.
Khaleda trashed her arch political rival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s claim that the dialogue is possible for 11thnational elections instead of the 10th.
“This is arrogance, not rational thinking. This is not reality; it is an expression of mal intention,” the opposition chief said adding that she was still open to discussion.
“Democratic politics is the art of compromise. One does not become small in seeking a compromise. In 1996, we accepted your demand in the larger national interest. Now you are in power. Accept the people’s demand and sit for dialogue. Postpone the schedule for this one sided election. There is no need to not waste public money by holding a candidate less, voter less, meaningless election. This will not only stigmatize your government, it will destroy democracy,” said Khaleda.
Defending the controversial 15 February 1996 elections, Khaleda said as that time all the opposition MPs resigned from the parliament, the then government was left with no option but to go for an election to pass a bill on caretaker government.
“With this sole purpose in mind, the Parliament was dissolved…Immediately following the introduction of the non-party caretaker government in the Constitution, the Parliament was dissolved and fresh elections were held,” she said.
Khaleda said any attempt by the subservient Election Commission to declare the 154 uncontested ones and the remainder who are not facing any credible competition as Members of the Parliament will not be considered as legitimate representatives of the people.
“They do not enjoy any popular mandate and thus such a government will be undemocratic and illegal. No servant of the Republic is obliged to follow the orders of such an illegitimate government,” she said
Regarding the reaction of the Pakistani legislature’s motion to condemn execution of a war crime convict in Bangladesh, the opposition chief said, “Even responsible sections of the Pakistan society have been critical of this. The views of the BNP on this have been stated already.”
Khaleda also said Pakistan is now a far off and a separate country. “The Awami League government signed the Tri-nation agreement in 1974 and forgave the Pakistani accused of these crimes… After that all issues between Pakistan and us should be resolved through diplomatic negotiations. Any attempt to do otherwise is an expression of the diplomatic failure of this government.”
Reiterating her party stances over the trial of war criminals, Khaleda said they have always stated that those who killed, torched, raped and looted in an organized manner during the War of Liberation have to be brought to justice.
“The BNP has all along stated those who committed crimes against humanity have to face the trial and that the trial process must be transparent and meet international standards, that the issue not be used for narrow political purposes. If our suggestions on this were accepted in time, the questions and doubts that have been raised at home and abroad could have been avoided.”
Branding the Awami League an anti-people, undemocratic, despotic and corrupt, Khaleda said the timing of the ‘fraudulent’ election and the verdicts of the Tribunals on Crime against Humanity was cunningly coordinated and was timed in a pre-planned way to create diversion.
“Government agents have been carrying out acts of torching and burning of people to stop their movement for justice and fair play. But systematic disinformation is being used to blame the opposition for this.”
Portraying a gloomy picture in different districts, Khaleda alleged armed cadres of the ruling party are carrying out attacks on common citizens posing as members of Joint Forces.
She also alleged that joint task forces are being set up in the name of protection of law and order and these are being blatantly used and abused for attacks against targeted ones and now plans are on to involve members of the country’s armed forces in the illegal activities.
“I am appealing to all those that are concerned not to involve our armed forces in a fraudulent election and make them controversial,” she said.
Holding the government and the Election Commission responsible for the act of extreme atrocities, Khaleda drew the attention of human rights activists and groups at home and abroad to these deplorable acts of “state sponsored terror” and violation of human rights.
newsnextbd.com/ms/ni
Khaleda calls Dhaka march Dec 29 | Dhaka Tribune
Khaleda announces March for Democracy for Dec 29 | UNB Connect
24 December, 2013 | 19:31 | by nextnewsbd.com | Share
Dhaka (newsnextbd.com) – Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia on Tuesday called all concerned to join a march towards Dhaka which she terms “march for democracy” on December 29 to protect democracy and establish peace.
The former prime minister’s call came only 12 day ahead of the 10th parliamentary elections that the opposition alliance boycotted over its demand for a non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee the national polls.
She asked the people from all strata to begin the journey along with national flag on their hands and gather in front of Bangladesh Nationalist Party headquarters at NayapPaltan in Dhaka on that day.
The former prime minister also called her activists and supporters to resist the Awami League-led ruling alliance’s attempt to hold a voter-less election on January 5 since her BNP-led opposition alliance has been on the street to demand a non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee the national polls.
The opposition rejected the government’s offer to join an all-party administration for credible oversight of the elections and launched non-stop street agitation that left more than 100 people since the election authorities announced the schedule for 10th parliamentary polls on November 25.
Khaleda Zia accused the government of plotting to stage a ‘farcical’ general election saying that the Awami League has snatched the people’s voting rights as 154 lawmakers has been elected unopposed in the “farcical” elections.
She said it was not an election, rather a selection and people were denied their rights to franchise.
The BNP-led alliance has boycotted the polls saying that the Awami League might rig the polls if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains on the helm.
“Democracy is dead today, long live democracy,” she said referring to the Awami League’s rule of five years and said that human rights is trampled in the country now.
She accused the government of launching repression on opposition activists,
She also the residents in the capital to gather in front of party’s Nayapaltan headquarters to extend support for credible elections under a neutral non-partisan administration.
Khaleda, who enforced the blockades since November 26, urged the government not to impede the marchers by blocking roads, transport and hotels. She called the government not to arrest or harass the opposition supporters.
“Any attempt to deny the people this right will be resisted and we will be forced to announce even tougher programmes.”
The chief of BNP-led alliance unveiled four point approach to intensify the movement including strengthening coordination among the movement participating people, shun the path of divisiveness and unite in the larger national interest. Strengthen the politics of resolving all national issues through people’s participation, dialogue and referendum.
She asked the party leaders and activists to strengthen voting center based local resistance committees and form groups for ‘preservation of democracy and sovereignty’ at district, Upazilla and town levels to resist the January 5 polls.
Khaleda trashed her arch political rival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s claim that the dialogue is possible for 11thnational elections instead of the 10th.
“This is arrogance, not rational thinking. This is not reality; it is an expression of mal intention,” the opposition chief said adding that she was still open to discussion.
“Democratic politics is the art of compromise. One does not become small in seeking a compromise. In 1996, we accepted your demand in the larger national interest. Now you are in power. Accept the people’s demand and sit for dialogue. Postpone the schedule for this one sided election. There is no need to not waste public money by holding a candidate less, voter less, meaningless election. This will not only stigmatize your government, it will destroy democracy,” said Khaleda.
Defending the controversial 15 February 1996 elections, Khaleda said as that time all the opposition MPs resigned from the parliament, the then government was left with no option but to go for an election to pass a bill on caretaker government.
“With this sole purpose in mind, the Parliament was dissolved…Immediately following the introduction of the non-party caretaker government in the Constitution, the Parliament was dissolved and fresh elections were held,” she said.
Khaleda said any attempt by the subservient Election Commission to declare the 154 uncontested ones and the remainder who are not facing any credible competition as Members of the Parliament will not be considered as legitimate representatives of the people.
“They do not enjoy any popular mandate and thus such a government will be undemocratic and illegal. No servant of the Republic is obliged to follow the orders of such an illegitimate government,” she said
Regarding the reaction of the Pakistani legislature’s motion to condemn execution of a war crime convict in Bangladesh, the opposition chief said, “Even responsible sections of the Pakistan society have been critical of this. The views of the BNP on this have been stated already.”
Khaleda also said Pakistan is now a far off and a separate country. “The Awami League government signed the Tri-nation agreement in 1974 and forgave the Pakistani accused of these crimes… After that all issues between Pakistan and us should be resolved through diplomatic negotiations. Any attempt to do otherwise is an expression of the diplomatic failure of this government.”
Reiterating her party stances over the trial of war criminals, Khaleda said they have always stated that those who killed, torched, raped and looted in an organized manner during the War of Liberation have to be brought to justice.
“The BNP has all along stated those who committed crimes against humanity have to face the trial and that the trial process must be transparent and meet international standards, that the issue not be used for narrow political purposes. If our suggestions on this were accepted in time, the questions and doubts that have been raised at home and abroad could have been avoided.”
Branding the Awami League an anti-people, undemocratic, despotic and corrupt, Khaleda said the timing of the ‘fraudulent’ election and the verdicts of the Tribunals on Crime against Humanity was cunningly coordinated and was timed in a pre-planned way to create diversion.
“Government agents have been carrying out acts of torching and burning of people to stop their movement for justice and fair play. But systematic disinformation is being used to blame the opposition for this.”
Portraying a gloomy picture in different districts, Khaleda alleged armed cadres of the ruling party are carrying out attacks on common citizens posing as members of Joint Forces.
She also alleged that joint task forces are being set up in the name of protection of law and order and these are being blatantly used and abused for attacks against targeted ones and now plans are on to involve members of the country’s armed forces in the illegal activities.
“I am appealing to all those that are concerned not to involve our armed forces in a fraudulent election and make them controversial,” she said.
Holding the government and the Election Commission responsible for the act of extreme atrocities, Khaleda drew the attention of human rights activists and groups at home and abroad to these deplorable acts of “state sponsored terror” and violation of human rights.
newsnextbd.com/ms/ni
Khaleda calls Dhaka march Dec 29 | Dhaka Tribune
Khaleda announces March for Democracy for Dec 29 | UNB Connect
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