Country headed towards bloodshed: Oli

Oli Ahmed
Oli Ahmed

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 20-party alliance on Monday asked the law enforcement, especially the police, to follow the rules and show fairness in carrying out duties during the polls campaign.

In the context of arrest of opposition leaders and workers ahead of the elections, the alliance coordinator Oli Ahmed said the country is now headed towards bloodshed.

“It is the government which is responsible for this situation,” he said in a press conference at Chattogram Press Club.

A former BNP leader who is now leader of Liberal Democratic Party, allied with the BNP, Oli mentioned that Bangladesh as an independent country has never faced the situation like that of the current one.

“This is comparable only with Hitler’s Germany,” he said referring to the atmosphere of fear that is prevailing among all including government officials.

The 20-party alliance leader insisted that public security must be given priority to everything else. He added that the opposition alliance does not believe in taking any revenge.

“Our alliance is not against anyone… We want the people vote in a peaceful atmosphere,” Oli said.

Addressing the prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, he said, “You are the daughter of Bangabandhu. Your responsibility is to present a fair election. Nobody would live forever as everyone has to leave this world. I think that departure should be respectful.”

BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the ruling party is carrying out campaign while the opposition remains silent. “They are showing respect to law,” he added.

BNP vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman asked the party workers to brave the arrest and intimidation. “Arrest and filing of cases will continue and we will go ahead with our grassroots leaders and workers. We will go to vote,” he said.