Live Correspondent: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that the next general election under a caretaker government is the most suitable system for a country like Bangladesh, and urged the country's noted citizens and political parties to raise their voices for its restoration.

"The previous elections have proved that no credible elections can be held in Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina regime and a partisan administration. We would have been happier if more noted citizens, political parties, and organisations of the country had really talked about these things.

I urge them to raise their voices for ensuring the election under a caretaker government," he said while addressing a press conference following a meeting with the liaison committee of 12-party alliance at the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office in the capital on Sunday (January 29).

The BNP Secretary General said Awami League has pushed the nation into chaos by annulling the caretaker government system. "The country's people now do not know how the elections will be held and whether they can cast their vote or not."

Mirza Fakhrul has alleged that the ruling Awami League holds meetings and rallies using the statecraft, while opposition BNP is hindered in various ways to observe its political progarmmes.

"Even, BNP is not allowed to observe its political programmes sometimes. Train operation was forced to stop during BNP's public meetings, while seven special trains have been kept standby for joining prime minister's public meeting in Rajshahi city," he said

The meeting was convened to discuss strategies of the ongoing anti-government joint movement.

Referring to the recent programmes of BNP including road march, Mirza Fakhrul said people got their faith back in observing the opposition's programmes. The anti-government movement has also received a new dimension.  Awami League says one thing but does the opposite.

Awami League has done major harm to the country's political fabric. Multi-party democratic system is the main characteristic of this country, but Awami League has destroyed it.

Regarding the issues discussed at the liaison committee meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said they discussed the latest political situation prevailing in the country. "We also held a threadbare discussion about what programmes we could take in the days ahead to intensify our oust-government movement and how to involve people
more."

Jatiya Party Chairman Mostofa Jamal Haider, who was also present at the meeting, said, "Our main objective is to unite all the democratic forces against the present undemocratic government. All the anti-government forces have already taken firm determination to unseat the brutal and suppressive government from power."

Among the 12-Party Alliance leaders, Jatiya Party Chairman Mostofa Jamal Haider, Bangladesh Kalyan Party Chairman Maj Gen (Retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim Bir Pratik, Labour Party Chairman Mustafizur Rahman Iran, Bangladesh Jatiya Dal Chairman Syed Ehsanul Huda, Bangladesh LDP Secretary General Shahadat Hossain Selim, NDP Chairman Quari Md Abu Taher, Jamiyate Ulamaye Islam Bangladesh Secretary General Mufti Golam Mohiuddin Ikram, Jagpa Senior Vice-President Engr Rashed Prodhan, Islami Oikya Jote Secretary General Maulana Abdul Karim, Bangladesh Islamic Party Secretary General Abul Kashem and Muslim League Joint Secretary General Md Tofazzal Hossain attended the meeting.

On the other hand, on behalf of BNP, liaison commitee member Nazrul Islam Khan, Begum Selima Rahman, Mohammad Shahjahan and Abdul Awal Mintoo were present at the meeting.

Dhaka, 29 January (campuslive24.com)// BICS