The party leaders said the government would have to be toppled if BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was to be released unconditionally. They said Khaleda Zia is now under house arrest. The government is not Khaleda Zia; Has captured democracy. Today the mafia government is running the country. So in order to save the country, we have to bring down this mafia government by agitating in the streets. The leaders announced that they would soon take the field by strengthening the organization to free Khaleda Zia.
The party leaders made the announcement at a rally in front of the National Press Club on Monday. On the third anniversary of Khaleda Zia's 'imprisonment', the protest rally was organized by the Dhaka Metropolitan North and South BNP as a central program of protest rallies in districts and cities across the country. Leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliates, including the BNP in Dhaka North and South, gathered in front of the National Press Club in processions since morning. They held placards with Khaleda Zia's picture and chanted slogans demanding her release. Law enforcement was active around the rally. Traffic was disrupted on the road in front of the press club due to the presence of a large number of leaders and activists. Ordinary passengers suffer in this.
Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia went to jail on February 8, 2018 after being convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust case. He was later convicted in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. He has been sentenced to 17 years in two cases. The government released Khaleda Zia on March 25 last year in an executive order during the coronavirus epidemic. Since then he has been living in his home in Gulshan. However, he is not meeting anyone including the leaders and workers of the party.
BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas told the gathering, "We have not been able to make any arrangements for the release of Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman, for justice." However, Khaleda Zia will not remain a prisoner for life. Gradually the team bond is getting stronger. This movement will continue till the release of Khaleda Zia. Soon we will take the field, release Khaleda Zia and bring Tareq Rahman back to the country.
Referring to the report published in Al-Jazeera, Mirza Abbas said, "We have waged a war of liberation, we have liberated the country not to make Bangladesh a mafia state." In the year of the golden jubilee of independence, such reports are sad, unfortunate. Prove to those in power now that everything that is coming to Al Jazeera is a lie. We will support you, we will help you. But he proved before.
Referring to the jail in One-Eleven, he said that Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader sat at home and spoke at length. We were together in the prison at One Eleven. This is what Obaidul Quader said, if I get it once; I will not do politics anymore - I am a witness myself. At that time big leaders of Awami League were also in jail in different cases. There is no case against any of them now but the cases of Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and all other BNP leaders and activists are ongoing.
Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a member of the party's standing committee, said that if democracy was to be restored, it would have to join the war in the democratic process. That war will not be limited to slogans. That war is not just about our own position. In the interest of the country, in the interest of democracy, Khaleda Zia must be released from captivity. If he is released, democracy will be liberated. So I will not leave the highway in any way. You have to prove it not in words but in deeds. We have to occupy the highways and all the roads and ghats have to be occupied by the people.
Gayeshwar said that today the Election Commission is doing whatever it wants to please the government. When leaders and activists ignore Corona and take to the streets, we join the war to make this life peaceful, to make this life meaningful, to create a democratic environment in this country.
Referring to Khaleda Zia's house arrest in Gulshan, Gayeshwar said she kept Khaleda Zia at home because of Corona. Khaleda did not release Zia. BNP is such a big party, thousands of leaders and workers of this party. Khaleda Zia will remain a prisoner for what reason? And we or why we will only plead in a free voice, we will not do anything for liberation - it cannot happen.
President of Dhaka Metropolitan South Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohail presided over the rally. Bhuiyan Jewel, Helen Jerin Khan of Mahila Dal, Fazlur Rahman Khokon of Chhatra Dal, Kazi Raunkul Islam Shravan and Saif Mahmud Jewel among others.
