Staff Correspondent

Describing the upcoming Upazila Parishad (UP) elections as the "government's trap", BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas on Saturday said their party did not fall prey to it by boycotting the polls.

"The current government has set another trap entwined with the upcoming upazila Parishad elections. They laid a trap earlier during the national election, but BNP boycotted that poll as well," he said.

Speaking at a human chain programme, the BNP leader also said the country does not need elections where people cannot exercise their right to franchise.

Like the national election on January 7, he said people will refrain from going to the polling station to cast their votes in the upazila elections.

Regarding the reported internal discord within the ruling party over the upazila polls, Abbas said Awami League leaders are restraining their own members from contesting the elections and conducting campaigns amidst the boycott by BNP. "What would have happened had the BNP given candidates in the polls? So, our decision (to boycott the election) is justified."

Habibur Rashid Habib Mukti Parishad formed the human chain at the Jatiya Press Club premises, demanding the release of BNP's Dhaka South city unit joint convener Habibur Rashid Habib.

Mirza Abbas, a BNP standing committee member, said the country is now under the grip of an autocratic rule and the downfall of this regime is inevitable in the face of public outrage, sooner or later.

"This is not an elected government. So, it is not BNP's responsibility to overthrow this regime. When the people decide, they will oust this government and no one will be able to resist it," he observed.

Slamming the government for continuously arresting BNP leaders and activists, Abbas said no autocratic regime in the world could suppress any movement by resorting to arrest.

"We're waging a movement and the country will be freed (from misrule). I don't know if I'll live to see it. But someone will come forward to free this country from the hands of these hyenas," he said.

Abbas bemoaned that their party chief Khaleda Zia, who fought for democracy throughout her political career, is now fighting for life as she has been suffering from various critical ailments.

"Allah knows when that happens to her. She's not allowed to go abroad. We have been repeatedly saying to send her abroad for treatment. Her condition is not good," he said.

The BNP leader alleged that the government is trying to kill Khaleda by not allowing her to go abroad, showing the excuse of laws.