Staff Correspondent

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaks at a seminar titled "Drama of famine to hide bankruptcy. Where the country is heading?" organised by Nagorik Oikya, a partner of Ganatantra Mancha and a coalition of seven political parties, at Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Wednesday (November 22, 2022) afternoon.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaks at a seminar titled "Drama of famine to hide bankruptcy. Where the country is heading?" organised by Nagorik Oikya, a partner of Ganatantra Mancha and a coalition of seven political parties, at Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Wednesday (November 22, 2022) afternoon.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the ruling party leaders have been uttering about "arson violence and militancy drama" to divert the ongoing anti-government movement to a different direction.

"Their main objective to divert the people's attention to a different direction," he said while speaking at a seminar titled "Drama of famine to hide bankruptcy. Where the country is heading?" organised by Nagorik Oikya, a partner of Ganatantra Mancha and a coalition of seven political parties, at Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Wednesday (November 22, 2022) afternoon.

Nagarik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna chaired the event.

In his address, Mirza Fakhrul urged the law enforcing agency concerned to allow them holding rally at Nayapaltan on December 10 "withouit making any further trouble."

"They (government) has not yet allocated us the venue for holding the rally. Now, it is the government's responsibility. BNP has applied for the venue in accordance with law," he said.

Emphasising on waging a strong movement to oust Sheikh Hasina led government from power, the BNP leader said, "The government must exit from power before the fresh general elections under a caretaker government, instead of a party-led government."

Fakhrul said the government was staging the dramas of militancy and arson violence to divert people's focus from ongoing movement aimed at restoring democracy and democratic rule in the country.

He also observed that the Awami League leaders were dreaming of leading colourful lives in Malaysia, Canada, and Singapore, ignoring the sufferings of common people.

"Awami League has become completely bankrupt. Bangladesh faces the risk of famine whenever this party comes to power. The main reasons of famine are indulging in corruption and looting by those of Awami League who run the state affairs."

The BNP leader alleged that the Awami League has given corruption an institutional shape. "Awami League leaders slash 10-20 per cent from the allowances of widows and destitutes. The party has now become a burden for the entire nation. All will sink if this party can't be removed from power."

He also alleged that the Awami League has kept occupied the BNP leaders and workers implicating them in false and fabricated cases so that they can continue their misdeeds unabated.

"All these are nothing but old tactics of the Awami League government. Recently, the government filed 96 cases against our party leaders and activists," he said.

"The only way is to wage a mass movement to compel the government to resign from power, dissolve the parliament and hold the next general elections under a neutral caretaker government."

The BNP leader maintained that the Awami League government had given corruption an institutional shape involving the administration and the police.

The seminar was also addressed by Nagarik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Biplobi Workers Party general secretary Saiful Huque, Ganasanghati Andolan chief coordinator Jonayed Saki, Nagarik Oikya adviser SM Akram, central leaders Mominul Islam, Jinnur Chowdhury and general secretary Shahidullah Kaiser, among others.