BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday alleged that the Awami League government is trying to keep the opposition parties out of the electoral race.
He also alleged the verdicts in the two graft cases filed against his party Chairperson Khaleda Zia and others will be pronounced as per the Prime Minister's desire.
The BNP secretary general made the allegations while speaking at a press briefing at the party central office at Nayapaltan in the capital.
"This illegitimate government has already written the verdict. Judgment will be what the Prime Minister wants it to be," Fakhrul said.
The BNP leader referred to the statement made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's special emissary HM Ershad in Lalmonirhat on Tuesday, when the latter said BNP Chief Khaleda Zia will be jailed as per court verdict before the 11th parliamentary polls.
Mirza Fakhrul said Ershad's statement was tantamount to contempt of court but no action was taken in this regard.
The BNP leader expressed his apprehensions at a time when the court fixed the date for announcing the judgment on Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8.
The BNP secretary general alleged that Khaleda Zia has been implicated in a total of 24 false cases to keep her out of the elections. The process of another case -- Zia Charitable Trust graft case -- is nearing completion.
"The entire trial process is questionable as the court issues unprecedented orders giving frequent dates for Khaleda Zia to appear," the BNP leader said.
He argued the speedy trial process proves that the government is scared of Khaleda Zia's popularity and it wants to stop her from contesting the elections.
"Such humiliating and inhuman behaviour with Khaleda Zia is reminiscent of the repressive policies of military and fascist rulers," Fakhrul said.
The BNP leader mentioned that the opposition leaders and activists were being detained randomly in recent weeks and forced to make false confessional statements.
He pointed out that when there is an utmost necessity to create equal opportunity and a level-playing field for all political parties for the sake of free and fair elections, the AL regime is increasing killing in the name of crossfire, and through enforced disappearances to foil congenial atmosphere for credible elections.
"This illegal government is trying to keep the opposition parties out of electoral race the way it held a voter-less election (in 2014)," he said.
"Parliament has to be dissolved. The Prime Minister has to step down. These are our (main) demands," Fakhrul said.
Condemning the government's ill attempts, the BNP leader called for the withdrawal of all false cases against Khaleda and all others and stop killings and enforced disappearances.
BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas and Gayeshwar Roy, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, among others, were present at the briefing.
