BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday warned that the current regime will have to face a strong political storm if it does not concede to their demand for holding the next election under a non-party caretaker government.

Speaking at a massive public rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he also threatened that their party will put up a strong resistance if the government tries to hold the next election under it ignoring the mass demand for a polls-time neutral administration.  

“A violent storm originating from the turbulent sea is approaching Bangladesh. There is no reason to think that only the natural storm is coming. A political storm-- to be originated from people’s hearts-- will also hit the country and spread everywhere and all people,” the BNP leader said.

He urged the government to try to understand the eye language of people before time runs out fast and hand over power to a caretaker administration accordingly.  “If you want a safe exit then quit power, paving the way for arranging a fair and free election under a caretaker government.”

The BNP leader also said most of the opposition parties are now in agreement not to join the election under the current government.

BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office to protest against the arrest and harassment of party leaders and activists.

Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies participated in the rally that was also meant for mounting pressure on the government to accept the party’s 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government and free party chairperson Khaleda Zia without any condition.

Fakhrul said it is now an established fact at home and abroad and everywhere that no credible election can be held under the Sheikh Hasina-led government.  “As we don’t want any election under Hasina, we must resist the polls under her.”

He, however, said their party is in no way against the election. “We want the election and a government elected through the real votes of people.  Our party came to power reputedly through the credible polls.”

He said their party has long been on a movement for arranging the next polls under a caretaker government.

The BNP leader recalled that it was the Awami League which had enforced hartal for 173 days and killed many people with the demand for introducing the caretaker government system. “You (AL) are now killing people to hold the election under a partisan government by annulling the caretaker government system."

He said 17 BNP leaders and activists were killed in the recent movement while over 600 others were made to disappear as they took to the streets demanding democracy. “Is there any democratic country where unlawful cases were filed against 390 lakh people belonging to the opposition? This is happening only in Bangladesh.”

Fakhrul criticised the government for filing of a case against BNP founder Ziaur Rahman for the murder of Col Khondkar Nazmul Huda Bir Bikram 48 years back.

He alleged that the main motive behind the filing of the case is to mislead people and divert their ongoing movement.

The BNP leader said the government had resorted to such tricks before the 2014 and 2018 elections to misguide people. “As the election is approaching again, they’ve filed the case against Ziaur Rahman to divert people’s attention to a different direction from the ongoing movement for holding the election under a caretaker government.”

Fakhrul noted that the case was not filed against the then Army chief or the Gano Bahini chief, as they are with the ruling party. “Ziaur Rahman was held captive at that time, but the case was filed against him.”

He warned that no evil game will work this time as people will finally turn victorious over the current regime. “We’re getting ready for it.”

Earlier on Thursday, Col Khondkar Nazmul Huda Bir Bikram’s daughter Naheed Izaher Khan filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station in Dhaka over the killing of her father on November 7, 1975.

In the case, Naheed made Maj (retd) Abdul Jalil of the 10th East Bengal Regiment accused and claimed that the killing was carried out as per Ziaur Rahman's instruction.