Rizvi says blockade will be peaceful

BNP Senior Joint Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said their next blockade will be a peaceful one and the party will continue protest programmes until their demand for the government’s resignation is met.

In a virtual briefing on Friday, he said: “Our movement will not relent unless victory is achieved and the 48-hour blockade from Sunday dawn will be a peaceful one.”

He called upon party activists and allies to prepare for the programme, but not to respond to “government provocation”.

“Our movement is to establish people’s right to vote for their candidate of choice. This movement is about ideals, fairness to the people and to help them develop as conscientious citizens,” he said.

More than 32 vehicles, mostly buses, were torched as BNP activists clashed with police and ruling party supporters in different parts of Bangladesh during the opposition party’s three-day blockade that ended on Thursday.

Rizvi alleged the current parliament, which held its last session on Thursday, spent time and money only on “spreading lies by using offensive words about BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman”.

“The MPs have done nothing for the welfare of the people,” he said.

The BNP leader described the 165 bills passed in parliament over the past five years as “anti-people”, and said these will be scrapped once the opposition party comes to power.

He renewed the demand for an election-time caretaker government, saying the Awami League is planning “another one-sided election with the Election Commission, police and the administration working as its subordinates”.

“We’re receiving news from around the country that the Sheikh Hasina-led government along with the pro-Awami League administration are on a special mission to keep the BNP out of the election.”

He alleged Hasina ordered local MPs and loyalists in the administration to make 20 million beneficiaries of the social safety net programmes, especially those with family cards, join Awami League programmes.

These people are receiving benefits for joining Awami League programmes, Rizvi said.

“In every (AL) rallies, deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and Upazila chief executives, along with police station chiefs are present. The goal of these rallies are to instruct people to vote for the boat (AL’s symbol). Otherwise, their family cards will be cancelled.”

Rizvi said Hasina resorted to this “trickery” to show the foreigners the huge following and satisfactory turn-ups in election centres.

Over the past 24 hours, more than 292 BNP activists were arrested while 1,045 party followers were accused in cases over “false charges”, according to Rizvi.