Awami League obstructs restoration of democracy: Mosharraf

BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has said the US has announced that visas will not be given to those who obstruct the restoration of democracy, and Awami League is the one that obstructs.

To save democracy in this country, there is no alternative to a popular uprising and the people are ready, the uprising will begin soon, he said while addressing a BNP rally in the capital's Nayapaltan area on Saturday.

"The prime minister of this illegal government has been rejected in various countries. Today, the world knows that not a single fair election has been held under Sheikh Hasina," the BNP leader said.  

Khandkar Mosharraf said the ruling party knows that it will lose miserably if the people are allowed to vote.

At the rally, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas said, "No civilised country in the world will give visas to thieves like you, all your misdeeds in the last 14 years will be judged."

He criticised the ruling party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader for his comment that Awami League will no longer hold peace rallies but will go for resistance to confront "BNP's destructive programmes".

Terming Quader's comment as provocative, Mirza Abbas said, "Our movement is for voting rights, food, gas and electricity. Will you resist us?"

Urging the partymen to resist Awami League, Mirza Abbas said, "BNP leaders and activists will not sit idle if they are attacked."

BNP Metropolitan South convener Abdus Salam said the government is isolated from the whole world. "This government will be blown away by the brewing storm."

The Dhaka North and South city units of BNP organised the rally to press home their 10-point demands and to protest the disregard of the High Court's directives by subordinate courts and the government, arbitrary arrests, false cases, police harassment, rising commodity prices, load shedding and corruption of the Awami government.

Nayapaltan and its surrounding areas became lively with the presence of BNP leaders and activists as the afternoon progressed.

Although the movement was scheduled to start at 2:30pm, it started late due to inclement weather.

Leaders and activists with small processions started gathering in front of the party office in Nayapaltan from noon.

A road from Nightingale intersection to Fakirapool was closed due to the rally.

Additional law enforcement personnel were deployed in the Nayapaltan area with riot cars, water cannons, prison vans and law enforcement forces. However, there was no untoward incident surrounding the rally.

Meanwhile, at a BNP rally in Jashore, the party's leaders and activists began to arrive in the afternoon with hanging flags on bamboo poles.

District BNP Member Secretary Syed Saberul Haque said that some leaders and activists came with bamboo poles to confront Awami League.

"However, the poles were dropped when they were told," he said.