BNP's Farroque demands election roadmap, warns of street protests

BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member Zainul Abedin Farroque on Sunday (18 May) warned of taking to the streets if a clear election roadmap is not announced soon.

"We are silent on Tarique Rahman's order. He asked us to be patient to further increase the organisational strength of the party," he told a discussion meeting.

The BNP leader, however, said if the result of their patience is a delayed election, then their dam of patience will be breached.

Once they lose patience, he said, from the party Secretary General to the standing committee members, no one will be able to restrain them from taking to the streets.

"We will take to the streets for the election if it is not held in time. No one can stop or silence us," the BNP leader said.

Nabin Dal arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the announcement of a roadmap for promptly holding the national election.

Farroque, a former opposition chief whip in parliament, said the country's people entrusted the interim government with the responsibility of holding a fair election. "But I think the government is trying to delay the election to give someone an advantage."

The BNP leader said one thing has become clear — the current government has not been able to pass the test in the past nine months.

"The rights and demands for which we fought on the streets against Sheikh Hasina — we all unitedly carried out the movement and achieved success through the July mass uprising. But this government has tarnished the success we achieved. They should consider this seriously," he said.

Pointing to interim government chief Muhammed Yunus, Farroque said the country's people and the global community respect him.

He said the people of Bangladesh placed Prof Yunus in the government as their trusted figure, demonstrating their confidence in him. "Out of respect for the people of the country, you must announce the election schedule right now."

Citing media reports that Tk90,000 crore has been siphoned off abroad over the last several months, Farroque wanted to know who were involved in it, since Sheikh Hasina is no longer in power.

He said Hasina's 'ghosts' are still present in every ministry and offices and his party has long been demanding that they be brought to justice.