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Govt lost moral right to rule

Says Khaleda, demands scrapping of farcical' polls results; tells BBC Hasina cannot ask BNP to cut relations with Jamaat

Staff Correspondent
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday in a statement said the government had no moral and constitutional grounds to remain in power, as people had rejected the “one-sided and stage-managed election".
In an interview with the BBC
Bangla Service last night, she also stated that her party would not sever relation with Jamaat-e-Islami on prime minister's request.
" By this voter-scarce and farcical election, it has been proved beyond doubt how much hatred and distrust people have for this government," she said in the press state-
ment.
"But the shameless government is still claiming that the people cast their votes spontaneously and it has received mandated to run the country," the statement reads.
She observed that no one had the jurisdiction to assume powers without people's mandate.
The BNP chief called upon the government to cancel the "farcical election results" and reach a consensus to hold a free, fair and participatory election.
Khaleda also asked world leaders to raise their voices and be more active to restore democracy and ensure democratic norms in Bangladesh.
She warned that due to the present government's autocratic rule the army might rise again like it had done before during Awami League tenure.
Also the chief of BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance, Khaleda once again urged public servants, law enforcement agencies and others concerned to refrain from illegal activities, killing and oppression.
She thanked the country's democracyloving people for “boycotting'1 the polls.
Terming the January 5 election a mockery, she said it had been proved that a free, fair and inclusive election was impossible in Bangladesh without a non-party government and an "acceptable" election commission.
" I want to say that the ongoing crisis will not be resolved by keeping me confined to my house and oppressing the opposition men," she said, warning that the attempt to prolong the tenure of this "illegal" administration through criminal means would not save the government at the end of the day; rather it would take the crisis beyond solution.
INTERVIEWWITH BBC
The BNP chairperson yesterday said her party would not sever ties with Jamaat-e-Islami on the prime minister's request.
"As an independent political party we will go by our decisions, not hers [PM Sheikh Hasina's|, said Khaleda while talking to BBC Bangla Service last night.
The ruling Awami League has been asking BNP to cut relation with Jamaat for its antiliberation role in 1971 and the recent violence.
Khaleda said, "She |Hasina| cannot dictate us what to do and with whom. She was [once] with Jamaat and went to power."
Asked whether she wants to make any promise on the issue, she said, "Promise ... for what and to whom?”
On the opposition's next course of action and Hasina's yesterday's call to sit in a dialogue, Khaleda said the January 5 poll was nothing but a selection. No major parties except for the AL had participated in it. There was also a question regarding the participation of Jatiya Party.
Asked whether BNP wants to hold dialogues, she said the present government had its
tenure until January 24. Dialogue must be held whether it should be with the present government or the new one, as solution would not be found without talks.
Asked about Tarique's latest comment that the opposition was to continue its movement and there would be no dialogue with the present government as it has become illegal [following January 5 election], the BNP chief said, "We believe in dialogue and it is the government who will have to create the atmosphere for it. But our movement will continue."
She however said most of her party senior leaders were in jail while some were absconding to evade arrest. "No one is able to communicate them. I cannot communicate with anyone, as the government has confined me to my house. How can the dialogue be held?
Asked what will be the demands of the opposition in the talks, Khaleda said the government would have to free our leaders and activists, and withdraw all false cases against them.
“Besides, the police have cut access to our two offices. The government will have to open those. I also cannot go outside. With whom will I be holding the dialogue if I cannot go outside?" said Khaleda.
On the opposition's earlier announcement of resisting the January 5 polls, Khaleda said it was the people who resisted the election and did not go to the vote centres.
When her attention was drawn on the primer's comment that Awami League had got mandate through the election, Khaleda asked what kind of mandate it was.
She said the government had held a onesided election without any talks with the opposition. "They [AL] do not believe in democracy. But we want to resolve the crisis through dialogue."
In reply to prime minister's allegation that opposition was involved in violence, she said it were the government men who were involved in such activities. They had attacked the High Court.
Asked whether opposition's movement would continue, Khaleda said it depended on the government.
LAWYERS MEET KHALEDA
Khaleda last night instructed a pro-BNP lawyer's delegation to figure out whether legal measures could be taken against the govern-
ment for holding of the January 5 "farcical and voter-less election", said AJ Mohammad Ali, president of Supreme Court Bar Association who led the delegation, told reporters emerging from the meeting at Khaleda's residence.
GERMAN ENVOY CALLS ON KHALEDA
German Ambassador to Bangladesh Albrecht Conze called on the BNP chief at her Gulshan residence last night. They discussed various range of issues including mutual interest of the two countries.
Khaleda told him that while in power her government had contained militancy, which had spawned during AL tenure, with the help of religious-minded people.