Why foreign operatives active in sovereign Bangladesh, asks Khaleda

Khaleda Zia addressing the founding anniversary programme of JCD in the capital. Photo: Ashraful Alam
Khaleda Zia addressing the founding anniversary programme of JCD in the capital. Photo: Ashraful Alam

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday called on the activists of her party's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) to resist conspiracy against the country.

“It's you who should resist the conspiracy against the country. You the youths and students should tell the masses what these people (incumbents) are doing. You must rise up,” she said addressing the founding anniversary programme of the JCD in the capital.

Also the former prime minister, Khaleda alleged, “They [AL] are conspiring to destroy the country in a planned manner with the assistance of them [India] the way Lhendup Dorjee did [allowing Sikkim to merge with India]. She [Hasina] might do worse than Dorjee.”

Khaleda Zia also called on them to make them prepared for street agitation to be launched at an opportune time.

Khaleda claimed the proclamation of independence was made by late president Ziaur Rahman, although it was not his duty to proclaim the independence. “The onus was on the politicians of that time, who were bargaining for power at that time.”

“They should have proclaimed independence when they saw the bargaining fell apart and attacks were made on Bengalis,” said the BNP leader.

Khaleda went on to say, “His [Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's] fellow politicians requested him time and again to declare the independence. Even after that he didn’t make the declaration.”

“He wanted to be the prime minister of Pakistan, not of Bangladesh,” said the former prime minister.

Khaleda also claimed that the people joined the liberation war in response to the call of Zia.

She pointed out that the AL is continuously carrying out a smear campaign against Zia. “I won’t say anything about that. The people will come to know how ugly they are.”

She claimed Zia announced the proclamation of independence and after the liberation he returned to the barrack without clinging to power.

She also shed some light on how hundreds of country people suffered during the feminine of 1974.

Dwelling on the “misdeeds” of the present AL regime, Khaleda Zia said the AL government is enacting new laws one after another to cling to power.

In reference to extra judicial killings, she alleged that it is the police who shot them to death after taking them to a certain place.

“Killing and enforced disappearance must be stopped. The police should be told “you should not shoot people to death”.”

Calling the members of the police to stop shooting at whims every now and then, Khaleda alleged the police oftentimes shoot youths in their legs.

“They [members] are also Bangladeshis. How they can shoot their fellow citizens in their legs. Or, are they not Bangladeshis?” asked Khaleda as with the audience giving a huge applause.

“People have every doubt whether they are Bangladeshis. People also want to know how many foreign intelligence operatives are active here. We need to know this. Why will there be foreign operatives in Bangladesh? Foreign operatives can’t be active here. It is a sovereign and independent country.”

She was also critical of the killing of Bangladeshis by India’s Border Security Force personnel and ridiculed Bangladeshi intelligentsia for not speaking out against the border killing.

In oblique reference to the killing of Gaibandha AL MP Manjurul Islam Liton, Khaleda said, “I don’t want to know who is AL and who is BNP. They are humans. I want that all the killing must be stopped.”

About the reconstitution of the election commission, Khaleda said, “A neutral election commission is not enough. Apart from it, a neutral election-time government is required to ensure a free and fair election.”

Khaleda asked students to tell the people, farmers about the misdeeds of the AL.

“You need to a vow to save the country from the hands of looter and killer government.”

In reference to a video that went on viral on the internet depicting how the members of the police were setting fire to the Gaibandha Santal houses, Khaleda said it suggests that they did the same thing during the street agitation by the BNP-led alliance.

“In order to misguide the people, this police made the arson attacks and killed the people,” she added.

The former prime minister alleged that a game and a conspiracy is on centring on the country.

She said the people will never forgive those who are “conspiring to hand over the country to a foreign force.”

The BNP chairperson hoped that she will lead the party to return to power through reorganising it and waging a movement in due time.

“I had led the anti-Ershad movement. I was on the streets with you [people]. I had brought the BNP to power thrice. The party will be brought to power again through reorganising it and giving leadership to those who are qualified,” she said. 

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