No civilised country to grant visa to Awami League men: BNP
BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas said no civilized country in the world would grant visas to Awami League men.
"All the wrongdoings committed by you (Awami League) over the past 14 years will be tried, and no country will grant visas to thieves like you," said Mirza Abbas while addressing BNP rally in the capital's Nayapaltan area held as part of BNP's anti-government movement ahead of the 12th national elections.
Mirza Abbas further asserted, "You (the government) have fallen into a trap, and your chances of survival are slim."
Citing an example, he mentioned that one of his acquaintances, who is a government employee, faced difficulty in obtaining an Australian visa. Later, it was revealed that the individual was involved in the government's misconduct, according to Mirza Abbas.
Mirza Abbas also criticised ruling party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader for his comment that Awami League will no longer hold peace rallies but will go for resistance to confront "BNP's destructive programmes".
Terming Quader's comment as provocative, Mirza Abbas said, "Our movement is for voting rights, food, gas and electricity. Will you resist us?"
Urging partymen to resist Awami League, Mirza Abbas said, "BNP leaders and activists will not sit idle if they are attacked."
Addressing the rally, BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharaf said, "The US has announced that visas will not be issued to those who impede the restoration of democracy and the Awami League is the primary obstacle in this regard."
He said, "To safeguard democracy in our nation, there is no alternative but a mass uprising, and we firmly believe that the people of this country are prepared. The uprising will commence soon."
The Dhaka North and South city units of BNP organised the rally to press home their 10-point demands and to protest the disregard of the High Court's directives by subordinate courts and the government, arbitrary arrests, false cases, police harassment, rising commodity prices, load shedding and corruption of the Awami government.
Although the movement was scheduled to start at 2:30pm, it started late due to inclement weather.
Leaders and activists with small processions started gathering in front of the party office in Nayapaltan from noon.
BNP Metropolitan South convener Abdus Salam will be present as the chief guest in the protest rally.
BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Dr Mosharraf Hossain, leaders of other wings and allied organisations spoke at the rally addressing partymen.
A road from Nightingale intersection to Fakirapool was closed due to the rally.
Additional law enforcement personnel have been deployed in the Nayapaltan area.
Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's adviser Monirul Haque Chowdhury said the people of Gazipur have proved that Awami League has no rights to remain in power.
"People don't like Awami League because of the misdeeds they have done in the past," the BNP leader told a rally organised in Mourail area of Brahmanbaria district on Saturday (27 May).
Brahmanbaria district BNP organised the rally as part of the central announced movement against arbitrary arrests of party leaders, police harassment in false cases.
Monirul Haque Chowdhury also said the ongoing movement is non-violent and participatory.
He commented that Awami League is a more foreign-oriented party than BNP.
"A few days ago, the prime minister visited Qatar. Before that she went to Britain, USA and Japan. But we have not gone anywhere yet."
Brahmanbaria district BNP convenor Zillur Rahman, Central BNP Cumilla division organising secretary Mostak Miah and district BNP former president Hafizur Rahman Molla and others also addressed the meeting.
The BNP has announced to hold eight public meetings and rallies in Dhaka alone this month. In the next months, programmes such as strikes and blockades may come, insiders hinted.
The voting for 12th parliamentary elections is supposed to be held in December this year or January next year and the election schedule is expected to be announced within a few months. Still, there is no sign of dialogue between the two main political parties. The BNP is determined on its demand for a caretaker government while the Awami League is reluctant to care for the BNP as it is out of the parliament.
