Opposition BNP on Tuesday threatened to intensify the ongoing movement further if the government does not withdraw the 'false' cases filed against its leaders and activists and release them immediately."We demand withdraw of all the false cases filed against BNP leaders and activists and their immediate and unconditional release. Otherwise, we'll intensify our movement with harsher programmes," said BNP chairperson's adviser Shamsuzzam Dudu. He was addressing a press briefing on the first-day of the 18-parety alliance's 36-hour hartal at BNP's Nayapaltan central office.
The first day of the shutdown was marked by the killing of a truck driver, vandalism and crude bomb blasts. The 18-party called the hartal soon after three Dhaka courts on Sunday sent 10 senior BNP leaders, including its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, to jail in seven cases filed over March 1 violence.
The opposition alliance enforced the shutdown at 6am on Tuesday to realise its various demands, including the release of its arrested leaders and activists. The hartal will continue till 6 pm on Wednesday.
Reacting to the remarks of the ruling party leaders that the opposition is trying to create a volatile situation for the promulgation of state of emergency, Dudu said, "The opposition can't impose emergencyÂ…it's the government that does it."
Asked whether the government is arresting the top opposition leaders for reaching a covert negotiation in jail, Dudu said there are many ideal places outside jail for dialogue if the government is sincere to resolve the political stalemate. "Nothing good will be achieved by resorting to respressive acts."
About the Finance Minister's remark that the political crisis will be over within a month, the BNP leader said his party will welcome it if the government restores stability in the country by arranging the next general election under a non-party caretaker government after quitting power.
| In other words, if they give everything to the BNP and go off to slit their own throats... |
"It's now a matter of time to give a befitting reply to your waywardness. The time is very short; you even won't find the known lane to escape during public wraths," he said pointing at the current regime.