“The government thinks our efforts to forge the national unity will be harmed following the August 21 grenade attack verdict. I would like to say the movement of the national unity will continue ignoring the verdict,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, “We’ll present the framework of the national unity very soon. We’ll also announce the outline of the movement. We’ll take all steps to ensure this regime’s fall based on the framework of the national unity.”
Zia Parishad arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said the government will be forced through the movement of the national unity to engage in talks to hold the next general election under a non-party administration.
He criticised the government for enacting the Digital Security Act to ‘gag’ the media ahead of the national election. “The government made the law so that the mass media can’t criticise it and work independently. There’re 7-8 sections in the act that are completely contrary to the Constitution.”
Referring to section 32 of the act, the BNP leader said journalists can be sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment and fined Tk 25 lakh for publishing any government document on its corruption and misdeed in the media. “It’s a draconian law enacted to curb the press freedom.”
In the section 47, he said, law enforcers are given limitless power which was not even given to Rakkhi Bahini (during 1975) as they'll be able to raid any office and house and seize computers and other equipment and arrest anyone without any warrant.
Moudud, a former law minister, regretted that journalists are not united and organised to raise their voice against the law. “I urge the journalist brothers, you please put up a resistance against the law to protect your freedom and force the government to revoke it.”
He renewed their party’s stance against the law, saying BNP, if voted to power, will repeal it within seven days of assuming office.