Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday alleged that conspiracies had already begun to destroy the national unity and the environment for national elections, which had been聽 built on the bloody mass uprising.
The allegations came聽 during Tarique鈥檚 inaugural speech at the extended committee meeting of the party held at the LD Hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
He said that a smokescreen was cast regarding the issues of reform and local government elections.
Tarique called on people across classes and occupations to remain vigilant against the conspiracy to destroy the environment of national unity and general elections.
He said that pro-democracy people in the country believed that if local elections were held before the national elections, it would end up facilitating the rehabilitation of the absconding cronies of the overthrown dictator, directly contradicting the aspirations of the mass uprising.
The BNP would not fall into this trap of rehabilitating the mass-murdering, money-laundering, corrupt mafia gang, Tarique said.
He further said that while the chief adviser鈥檚 statements on the national election created a positive impression, the misleading comments from some advisers disappointed democratic people.
鈥楢lthough all pro-democracy political parties, including the BNP, have lent unconditional support to the interim government, it has still failed to set priorities in its work plan,鈥� Tarique alleged,
He called on the interim government to immediately announce a clear 鈥榬oadmap of action鈥� and also urged it to abandon its plan to hold local elections, which, according to the BNP鈥檚 apprehension, would rehabilitate mafia gangs.聽
鈥楴eutrality is the key asset of the interim government to hold a free and fair election, but public doubts have already been raised about its neutrality,鈥� the party鈥檚 acting chairman said, urging the government to be more cautious about maintaining its impartiality.
鈥楾he BNP is committed to people. If the party is elected to govern the country in the next national election, it will bring the perpetrators of mass killings and crimes against humanity to justice,鈥� Tarique vowed.
The event was chaired by party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Fakhrul said that people were hopeful that the August 5 changes would soon restore their voting rights, but they had yet to see any clear pathway towards achieving that.
聽鈥楶eople hoped that the August 5 upheaval would change the situation restoring their voting rights soon and allow them to exercise their rights and elect their representatives. However, we are saddened that we are not seeing any clear pathway to achieve this,鈥� he said.
The BNP secretary general said that the country鈥檚 economic situation had already reached a deplorable state with the prices of goods increasing and law and order deteriorating ever.
The educational institutions, especially the universities, were also failing to provide a proper learning environment, he further said.
