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Restore caretaker or quit power

Khaleda tells govt; warns of tougher agitation after Mar 12 rally

Star Report
The ruling party must ensure that the next general election is held under a non-party government or it has to step down, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has said.
“The ball is now in their [government] court. They must take measures to hold the general election under a neutral and non-party government. It does not matter whether the name of that government is caretaker or something else,” Khaleda said at a huge rally on the Adarsha Samad School ground in Laxmipur yesterday.
She threatened to launch tougher anti-government programmes if the BNP's demand for restoration of the caretaker government system was not met before the March 12 rally in Dhaka.
“We will go for tougher programmes that will eventually force the government either to restore the caretaker system or step down.”
Khaleda asked the government not to create any obstruction in the party's programme. Opposition workers and supporters from across the country will gather in the capital on March 12 to press the demand for a restoration of the caretaker system.
The BNP chief said the Awami League had put democracy in trouble by getting the caretaker system scrapped.
“The ruling party must accept the demand for restoring the caretaker system for the sake of democracy. The Awami League is not a democratic party at all. It believes in one-party rule. It doesn't even hesitate to invite the army to usurp power. It is also involved in militancy.”
Khaleda said the Awami League has a godfather in every district. BNP leader Nurul Islam was murdered in Laxmipur but the president pardoned his killers, she said.
Laxmipur district BNP organised the rally to protest the deaths of two persons in police firing on a BNP procession on January 29.
She criticised the government for failing to arrest the killers of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi more than one week after the murders.
“The government definitely has an interest in the killings. Otherwise, why is it not arresting the murderers? The Awami League can never ensure normal deaths of people.”
Khaleda said at least 14 journalists were killed during this government's tenure but not a single case had come to trial.
Terming the government as failed, worthless and murderous, she said people wanted to get rid of this government.
“Please do not lose heart. There is no time for it. ..start to protest and take to the streets. I got involved in politics to save the people.”
Khaleda said the rela-tionship between Bangladesh and India should be based on a sense of equality. The BNP is neither against nor in favour of India. “It is in favour of the people.”
“The Awami League cannot get anything from India. It can only give."
Khaleda claimed that there was no electricity crisis during the BNP government's tenure. “The present government has created the electricity crisis to loot people's money.”
Party leaders, workers and supporters in their thousands attended the rally. Hundreds of arches were put up from Comilla to Laxmipur to welcome the leader of the opposition.
People were seen standing on both sides of the road to have a glimpse of the BNP chairperson.
Khaleda left the capital for Laxmipur shortly after 11:00am and reached there at about 3:30pm. She started addressing the rally at 4:55pm.
Acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and party leaders Moudud Ahmed, Abdul Moyeen Khan, and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annee, among others, spoke at the rally.