Live Correspondent: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has demanded handing over power to a caretaker government dissolving the parliament.

"We've only one demand. Sheikh Hasina must resign from power, parliament must be dissolved and power must be handed over to a neutral caretaker government," he said.

Fakhrul made the remarks while addressing the BNP's divisional mass rally as the chief guest in Faridpur city on Saturday (November 12) afternoon.

Earlier, the BNP's divisional rally began at Abdul Aziz Institute ground, some six kilometers off Faridpur city. The rally began at 11:00 am, much before the scheduled time of 2:00 pm.

Fakhrul said the Awami League government talks about restoring the constitution of 1972.

"You say about restoring the constitution of 1972. What is there in the constitution? No caretaker government? But, the caretaker government was there. Four to five general elections were held under the caretaker government after 1990. All were able to cast their ballots in those elections.

Awami League has destroyed the constitution. They destroyed in 1975 banning all political parties, closing all newspapers and introducing the one-party led BKSAL government," he said.

Regarding the relationship between the present Awami League government and the masses, he said the AL government has no relation with the people. They have become detached from people.

They are even harassing the country's aims and ulemas. They are sending them to jail being implicated in false cases. Even, the alms and ulemas are not being granted bail.

Quoting the prime minister, the BNP secretary general said she wanted to know whether they have chewed the money from foreign exchange reserves. "No, you didn't chew the money, rather you've swallowed it. You've swallowed the entire reserves."

Criticizing the government, the BNP secretary general said Casino Samrat gets released on bail, while Khaleda Zia is kept under house arrest. Tarique Rahman has been sued in false cases in a planned way so that he can't come to the country.

"But, a national government will be formed under the party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, ousting, what he said the fascist Awami League government from power.

"Our leader Tarique Rahman will explain to us about the national government through a rally sometime in the coming days."

Referring to a famine in Bangladesh forecast by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said, "The prime minister said there will be a famine in Bangladesh next year. You're trying to hide your lootings and misdeeds from people by forecasting a famine in the country because you have not only chewed the dollars from reserves but also swallowed it."

Earlier, the BNP's divisional rally began at Abdul Aziz Institute ground, some six kilometers off Faridpur city, at about 11:00 am.

Before the beginning of the rally, the venue was filled up with thousands of BNP leaders and workers -- many of whom thronged the venue over the last several days.

Dhaka, 12 November (campuslive24.com)//BSC