BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia last night placed a seven-point proposal, including holding of a fresh all-inclusive election as soon as possible, to end the political standoff.
"Now it is the government who shall have to decide whether it will sit for dialogue accepting our proposals or it will face a movement," Khaleda said at an emergency press conference called at her Gulshan office on New Year's Eve.
The ruling Awami League, however, ruled out any possibility of talks later in the night. Party publicity and publication affairs secretary Hasan Mahamud said the next parliament elections would be in 2019.
"There is no scope for talking about any midterm elections. Talks could be held to move the country forward. But the Awami League will not sit with any political parties which have links with war criminals and militants," he said at his party chiefs Dhanmondi office.
Khaleda's seven-point proposal include creating a level playing field for all political parties, reconstitution of the Election Commission with impartial, competent and honest people before the election schedule is announced, making the voter list error free, dissolving parliament and cabinet before the election schedule is announced, handing over power to an impartial, non-party administration through consensus among all political parties, and deploying members of the armed forces with magistracy power to ensure a peaceful atmosphere conducive to fair polls soon after announcement of the election schedule.
She also proposed conducting a special drive to arrest criminals and recover illegal arms before election campaign begins, withdrawing controversial, partisan officials from the administration and law enforcement agencies, release of all "political prisoners", withdrawing of "false cases" against political leaders and
reopening all print and electronic outlets shut down during the Awami League-led rule.
Asked whether she demands release of Jamaat leaders convicted of war crimes, she replied those who have committed crimes must be punished. "But the trial must be impartial having international standards ... We have noticed that many people are being implicated in false charges," she said without mentioning any name.
Asked whether her party would take part in elections arranged according to the rules laid down by this constitution, Khaleda said we have clearly stated the next polls must be held under a non-party administration.
She also urged all democratic parties, forces and individuals to unite for waging a national movement to establish a government of the people.
As her attention was drawn to the ruling party leaders' remarks that the next national election would not be held before 2019, the BNP chief said the government which does not represent people is illegal.
"Despite that we have given them one year's time. Now we want a free, fair and inclusive election as soon as possible," she added.
Reiterating her party-led alliance's stance on a free and fair election, Khaleda said the government has to hold an election with the participation of all political parties, nomatterwhattheysay.
Asked whether her party thinks the international community, including the UN, should play a role to end the ongoing political standoff, the former premier replied in the negative.
Replying to a question whether her
party has the organisational strength to wage a movement, she said, "BNP is a well organised party and it is completely ready to hit the streets with a tough action programme."
Khaleda said they would observe January 5 as "democracy killing day" with rallies, black flag processions and demonstrations across the country.
"We want to hold a rally on January 5 and we hope we will be allowed to do that peacefully. We will gradually come up with our action programmes. No one will be able to subdue people's movement by creating obstacles and unleashing attacks on them."
On her son Tarique Rahman's recent remarks that Bangabandhu was a Razakar, she said Tarique had not said it in that way. She, however, claimed that what Tarique had said was based on facts and documents.