AL govt shaken, faces massive debacle in fair election: Ganatantra Mancha

The leaders of Ganatantra Mancha, an alliance of some opposition parties, on Sunday said the new US visa policy for Bangladesh has shaken the current government at a time when it was trying to cling to power by holding another unacceptable elation.

Speaking before staging a road march programme in the capital’s Malibagh area, they also said the ruling Awami League will face a massive debacle if the next election is held in a fair and credible manner.

“The current regime has been in power by force since 2014. The visa policy of the US has smeared the face of the country’s people with lime only because of this government. This visa policy has shaken the hearts of government policymakers,” said Saiful Haque, the coordinator of the alliance and general secretary of Bangladesh-er Biplobi Workers Party.

He said the government wants to hold another ‘farcical’ election like 2014 and 2018. “The leaders of Awami League are now smiling with sadness and pain in their chests and saying that this visa policy is for the opponents. Awami League's candidate faced a debacle in Gazipur city election held without the participation of opposition parties.”

Ganatantra Mancha staged the march towards Badda from Malibagh Rail Gate, demanding their 14-point demand, including the resignation of the government, dissolution of parliament and handing over power to an interim government.

Haque said the US has announced the visa policy seven months before the national polls as it could realise that the Awami League government has been making efforts to rig votes again. “No country in the world now trusts this regime”.

He said their alliance will stage a road march towards Dinajpur from Dhaka on 4-7 June to mount pressure on the government to realise their 14-point demand.

Haque said the road march will begin from in front of the National Press Club in the capital on 4 June. “We’ll consistently announce more new programmes to take the movement to a new level before Eid-ul-Azha.”

Nagorik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna said their alliance will continue their ongoing movement until the fall of the government. “I believe we’ll turn victorious.”

Referring to the US visa policy, he said work is going on secretly to foil the ruling party’s efforts to manipulate the next election.

Manna said it is not possible to hang onto power for a long time by resorting to vote rigging, fraudulence, deception and repressive acts.  “You (govt) must go now.”

Ganosamhati Andolon chief coordinator Zonayed Saki said the US has announced a visa policy for Bangladesh as the current government has snatched people’s voting rights in 2014 and 2018.

Slamming Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader for his comment that the opposition parties are in trouble due to the US visa policy, he said Awami League will be washed away if there is a fair election. "They make such a remark as they consider the country's people fools."