BANGLADESH

The BNP has announced its new protest programme comprising three road marches and rallies at divisional headquarters.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia made the announcement at a rally in front of the party's Naya Paltan headquarters on Tuesday.

The first road march will set off on Oct 10 followed by a rally in Sylhet the day next.

The second march will be towards Rajshahi on Oct 18 with a rally in Bogra that day. This will be followed by another rally in Rajshahi city the following day.

The third road march will start on Oct 25 for Chittagong. The same day, the main opposition will hold a rally in Feni and another one in Chittagong the next day.

Speaking at the rally, the BNP chief launched a scathing attack on the government.

She said the ruling Awami League's student and youth wings —Chhatra League and Juba League — have unleashed a reign of terror in the country.

"The people are fed up with the goons of Chhatra League and Juba League," she said.

On the price rise, she said high prices had made the life of the people miserable.

The leader of the opposition then went on to compare the current prices of essential items to those during her tenure.

"The government is persistently raising the prices of items."

The rally started around 2.30pm and Khaleda began her speech soon after 5pm on Tuesday.

She said that the government had completely politicised the judiciary and alleged that police were being used for partisan interests.

"Is it the party police or that of the nation?"

Khaleda said BNP processions were not even allowed on streets during the general strikes. But the government party brings out its own processions with law enforcers as escort, she said.

Talking of the Awami League, Khaleda said the party had to be escorted out into the streets although the administration is in their favour. "They (the government) have politicised the entire government machinery."

"Shame on you! Shame on you!"

"There have been no new factories and no new investment," Khaleda said. "Consequently unemployment is also rising."

"We had given special priority to the garment industry and brought it forward," she went on, "but during the tenure of the Awami League, a number of factories have closed down instead.

"Roads to India have been opened so that the country gets full access to our markets… And the government claims that the economy is doing well."

"Then why is the finance minister knocking on the doors of the World Bank and the IMF begging for expensive loans?"

She accused the Rapid Action Battalion of secret killing, and urged foreign countries not to train RAB and police for their human rights violation.

"I demand foreign nations refuse providing training to RAB and this police," she said.

The BNP chairperson said the Awami League government had abolished the caretaker government system "because they know very well that they will not be able to get re-elected".

They have gone ahead with their move although the court had ruled that the next two elections could be held under caretakers.

"Was it not this Awami League that had campaigned hard for this system? Was it not this Awami League that even vandalised on the streets demanding a caretaker system to oversee elections?"

They call us opposed to liberation because of our alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. "But didn't the ruling party have Jamaat by its side to strengthen its position? But they now berate us for being 'opposed' to our liberation and sovereignty."

"This government is so scared of the people that they won't even allow us to hold this rally at the Paltan Ground. The government had barricaded roads to stop buses. Trains have been blocked from carrying our supporters to this venue.

"But once the people rise, they cannot be stopped."

Referring to Hasina's current alliance with the deposed military dictator Hussein Mohammad Ershad, Khaleda said, "You had intended to keep Ershad in power for longer. But when the people rose up, you deserted him and stood by our side with the people. But now you are back together."

Khaleda Zia also noted that whenever the Awami League came to power, there was a crash in the stock market. She alleged that certain quarters had fooled the people and there was a government hand in 'looting the life-long savings of 3.3 million people'.