BANGLADESH

BNP has urged the prime minister to move to establish global peace only after taking steps to bring peace in Bangladesh.

The party's acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the call on Sunday, a day after prime minister Sheikh Hasina spoke at the United Nations General Assembly.

"The prime minister of a country where people are trampled under police boot, the poor eat from dustbins and where there is no democracy and good governance, has presented a model for global peace," Fakhrul told a discussion.

"I laughed after reading the news. So, I'll tell the prime minister to look at her home first," he added.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina had presented a peace-centric development model while addressing the 66th General Assembly on Saturday. She outlined her "People's empowerment and a peace-centric development model", which she said was inspired by her own life-time experiences.

"Throughout my half a century in politics, I have always been a crusader of peace. I believe that peace is achievable with the removal of injustice," she said.

Fakhrul said, "Good governance has been done away with during this government's tenure. Partisanship has made its way into the administration, judiciary, educational institutions… everywhere. They (the government) first see what anyone's father or grandfather was when he applies for a job. There is no job or promotion if you support BNP."

"Police have uprooted a nail of such a leader who had been elected MP five times. Recently, a top leader of a political party has been beaten up so much after arrest that he cannot even stand. He has been photographed in chains," he said.

"What democracy is this, what culture?" the BNP leader asked.

Pointing his finger at Hasina, he said, "You said you wanted to present the proposal for global peace. But what is the condition of the people of the country? Forty percent of the country's people are living under the poverty line."

Fakhrul also slammed the ruling party. "Awami League speaks about democracy, but it doesn't believe in democracy. Because it led the nation in the Liberation War, the party considers itself superior proprietor of Bangladesh."

He asked the supporters to be active in the agitations to be declared at a rally on Tuesday.