AL leaders even won't get time to carry hurricane lamps, flee through back door: Fakhrul

Calling upon his party colleagues to roar on the streets protesting the killing of a Swechchasebak Dal leader in police firing, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday warned that the Awami League leaders will not even get time to flee through the back door.

"They (govt) have talked about giving hurricane lamps in the hands of BNP leaders. But the time has come for you to hold the hurricane lamps in your hands. Even, you won't get time to hold the hurricane lamps and flee through the back door," he said.

Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka could not flee the country while its president Gotabaya Rajapaksa escaped to the Maldives. "The dictators want to flee but people don't let them do so. You should keep it in mind."

BNP's Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the killing of Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim in police firing in Bhola.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina slammed BNP for staging protests carrying the hurricane lamp against the government's power-saving measures.

"BNP leaders are holding demonstrations with hurricane lamps. Let's give them hurricane lamps to carry, and show them the door," she said.

Fakhrul alleged that the Awami League government has turned Bangladesh into a cremation ground over the last 15 years through its "repression" and "misrule".

"You have also turned Bangladesh into a fascist and failed state. Where's your success? Showing Metrorail and the Padma Bridge they highlight their all success. But 42% of people have gone below the poverty line. Many of our people now can't eat two meals a day," he observed.

The BNP leader alleged that the government has ruined the educational institutions, the health sector and the economy. "So, we can't give them (AL) more time to hang onto power. The fall of Hasina's government is now our one-point demand."

He called upon the BNP leaders and activists to get ready for realising their one-point demand and establish a pro-people government through a credible election under a neutral government.

Fakhrul said all associate bodies of their party will start staging demonstrations gradually from Thursday in protest against the killing of Abdur Rahim.

Later, he said their party will work out their next course of action at a meeting led by BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

As the party activists were demanding a harsher programme like hartal, Fakhrul advised them to first establish their control on the streets.

"Are you all ready to take to the streets? Nothing will happen if we can't take a position on the streets. So, get ready to take to the streets to establish a government of people by ousting the fascist and authoritarian regime," he said pointing at his party colleagues.

Fakhrul said police attacked a rally of BNP in Bhola without any provocation and sprayed bullets on the party leaders and activists, killing Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and injuring many others.

Fakhrul said critically injured Bhola Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Noor Alam has been fighting for life in an ICU of a hospital as he sustained a bullet in his head.

"We the people of Bangladesh can't sit idle when Awami forces – worse than the Pakistani occupation forces – use the state machinery and resort to killings, enforced disappearances and repressive acts. We must roar again recalling our old tradition and history and we have to establish control on the streets to topple the usurper regime," he said.