BNP to allow govt time to 'mend its ways'

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) still wants to allow the government more time in a bid to wean it from the path ofwhat it calls autocratic attitude towards the opposition leaders and workers, according to the party's senior leaders.According to them, BNP has been watching the government's activities very closely, especially the harassment and oppression of opposition leaders and workers. As the party believes in democracy, it prefers sparing some more time to the government so that good sense prevails upon it, they added. Taking this opportunity, the government should refrain from engaging itself in these heinous activities and change its conduct for the betterment of the country and the people, they said.Talking to The Independent, the party's senior leaders said the government's recent activities including 'indecent remarks' against BNP's founder, late president Ziaur Rahman, chairperson Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and otherleaders have prompted agonies among its leaders and workers.After a stretch of time and upon observing the latest situation, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia wants to launch movement against the government in phases, they said adding, the chairperson earlier warned the government that "it would have to quit power before its five-year term if it continued to indulge in oppression of her party leaders and workers across the country."On the other hand, its alliance partners and different like-minded professional bodies have started putting pressure on BNP to take to the street in order to protest the "government's misrule and misdeeds" but chairperson Khaleda Zia is taking steps slowly against the government, the leaders said.According to them, as the chairperson first wants to see BNP as a well organised party and hold its national council in a peaceful manner, the decision on launching movement against the government will be taken later.If the party leaders and workers are not well organised, it wouldn't not be possible to gear up the organisational activities from grassroots to central level throughout the country in order to protest the government's hostile move against the opposition, they observed.Expressing grave resentment and concern, they said during the last ten months' tenure, the Awami League-led grand alliance government failed to contain law and order situation and arrest the skyrocketing price hike of essential commodities.Apart from these, extortion and tender manipulation by the ruling party's armed cadres and failure in smooth supply of power and gas have frustrated the common people of the country, they said.In the name of Asian Highway, the government is going to give corridor to India and help that country construct the proposed Tipaimukh dam, they mentioned.Besides, the government in a pre-planned way has been filing fresh false cases and framing new charge sheets against the family members of late president Ziaur Rahman and other BNP leaders to defame them politically before the nation.The government is also trying its best to involve BNP leaders with the ten-truck arms haul and August 21 grenade attack cases, the leaders saidThey added that the government is yet to meet the BNP's demands including increasing the number of seats for its lawmakers in the front row of the House and beefing up security for Khaleda Zia.As part of a conspiracy to destroy BNP, the government also took the move to oust Khaleda Zia from her Dhaka cantonment residence, they added.While talking to The Independent BNP standing committee member RA Gani yesterday said the ruling Awami League has taken various initiatives to harass the BNP leaders and foil the upcoming its national council.He said as BNP believes in democracy, no conspirators would be able to foil BNP's national council.Joint secretary general Selima Rahman said BNP has allowed the government enough time to change its 'autocratic attitude'.source: the daily independent bangladesh
source:bd64