No election on Hasina's prescription: Rizvi

BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said this time the election would not be held as per the prescription of Sheikh Hasina.

Responding to a remark of Awami League General Secretary, Rizvi on Tuesday (4 July) asserted that it will no longer be possible to hold onto power by using the illegitimate force of arms.

Earlier, Awami League General Secretary and Minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul's statement saying that "the government's time is up," was not only unconstitutional but also seditious.

Rizvi argued that the prescription of Obaidul Quader's leadership in the last fourteen years has led to circumstances like bone-chilling incidents of deaths in the custody of law enforcement agencies, enforced disappearances, widespread violence against women, murders of journalists, illegal detentions, and mysterious disappearances. 

"This time, people would ascend to the field to bring an end to this misrule and strive for democracy," he added while speaking at a press conference held at the party's central office at Nayapaltan.

Criticising the behaviour of Awami leaders, he said, "They have decency and politeness by using offensive language. However, the days of doing whatever you like and speaking without consequences are coming to an end."

He, at the time, called for an election to be held under a neutral caretaker government aiming to eliminate the attempt to subordinate the people to the Awami League-leaning rulers.

Addressing the PM's recent statement in Tungipara where she pledged to change the fate of countrymen, the BNP leader questioned when the fate would truly change, considering the fourteen years of an allegedly illegal police dictatorship.

He accused the prime minister of infringing on people's voting rights, human rights, justice, freedom of expression, and looting the country's resources, including banks and financial institutions.

Further highlighting the information of attacks on BNP leaders and activists across the country, Rizvi claimed, "Awami terrorists have created a panic by carrying out armed violence to dominate their respective areas. A demonic manifestation of their ferocity, ruthlessness and brutality resulted in bloodshed everywhere.

"They seem to have vowed to wipe out the existence of the opposition parties. They have chosen terror as an infallible weapon to stay in power and prevent the return of multi-party democracy," he added.