PM’s resignation can pave way for credible polls, says Gayeshwar

BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Tuesday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation can pave the way for holding a fair and credible election and resolving the ongoing political crisis in the country.

“Sheikh Hasina (PM) is the main barrier to free and fair elections in the country. As long as she remains in power, the police, RAB, and all the people of the administration will stand in the way of the elections,” he said.

Speaking at a human chain programme, the BNP leader said police will become gentle and they will not go to the polling stations on the eve of elections to steal votes while the administration will work as servants of the people if Sheikh Hasina is out of power, according to UNB.

“That is why we’re saying that Sheikh Hasina's resignation is a prerequisite for a fair and free election. If this prerequisite is fulfilled then all our conditions will be fulfilled,” he said.

Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, said Khaleda Zia will be released unconditionally and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Mirza Abbas, and all other opposition leaders will be released if the current Prime Minister is removed from power.

Thakurgaon Jatiyatabadi Forum in Dhaka, arranged the human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia (who is out on parole), Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas and all other political prisoners.

Stating that there is no point in seeking the release of BNP leaders separately, Gayeshwar said their party should go for one-point demand for Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.

"We’ll free the country from fascism by restoring democracy. So we have no other alternative to carrying out a movement and struggle,” he observed.

Gayeshwar said the government has unfairly arrested Fakhrul, Abbas and other BNP leaders and activists and kept them in jail unjustly.

"We just want to tell the judiciary and the court that we want justice. We don't want any mercy,” he said.

The BNP leader alleged that their party chief Khaleda Zia sought justice, but she didn't get it. “There is no person in the history of Bangladesh, except Khaleda Zia, who has not been granted bail in such cases.”

He said ruling party MP Haji Salim, who was convicted on a charge of embezzling crores of taka, got bail, but Khaleda Zia did not get bail. “It is injustice… So to whom should we seek justice? Had the judiciary been separated from the executive branch and had the judges been independent, then we could have got justice.”

Gayeshwar said Khaleda, Fakhrul, Abbas, and other BNP leaders and activists were sent to jail as they wanted democracy and voting rights for the people. “If we can succeed in the current struggle for democracy, then Bangladesh will be free and all the leaders and workers will be free from misrule and, we will be able to establish justice."