Zia's Birthday Today
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday claimed that his party will get 80 per cent votes if a free and fair election is held right now.
He also urged the government to restore people's government by arranging a neutral election under a neutral
government and election commission immediately.
Fakhrul came up with the remark while speaking at a discussion organised by BNP marking the 82th birth anniversary of the party founder Ziaur Rahman at Supreme Court Bar auditorium in the capital.
He said, "The fascist government has destroyed democracy several times. Now they are at the final stage of restoring a one-party role by snatching all democratic and political rights in a planned way."
Urging its leaders and activists to get organised to break the ongoing political impasse by ousting the incumbent anti-democratic government, he said, "So far 78,000 cases were filed against more than 7.30 lakh leaders and activists of BNP across the country."
"BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is being harassed by setting dates for hearing in court five days in a week in false cases," he alleged.
He further alleged leaders and activists of the party and its front and associate organisations who gathered to greet Khaleda during her coming to and going from court are being picked up and all courts deny them bail.
"We have to break this stalemate. We don't want to see this anti-democratic government in power," the BNP leader added.
He said it should be the vow on this day to force the government to resign to hold an election under a neutral government and neutral election commission.
BNP Standing Committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharaff Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Mirz Abbas, among others, spoke at the discussion.
Born on January 19, 1936 at Bagbari in Bogra, Zia had become the country's 7th president and formed Bangladesh Nationalist Party in 1978.
BNP has taken up various programmes to observe the day. The programmes include hoisting the party flag atop its offices, placing wreaths and holding a prayer session at Zia's graveside and arranging discussion and other programmes.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the widow of the party founder, along with its leaders and activists will place wreaths on Zia's grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital around 10:00am.
