WEB DESK
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) held a rally in the divisional town of Khulna on Saturday demanding the establishment of a caretaker government during the next general elections scheduled to be held by the end of next year. The rally was part of similar rallies planned by the BNP to be held across divisional towns of Bangladesh over the next few months protesting against the price rise, killing of BNP activists during protests and demanding the release of its President and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
Speaking at the largely attended rally at Khulna BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that free and fair election can’t be held unless the incumbent government resigns and the election is conducted by an impartial caretaker government. He challenged the ruling Awami League that it will not win even 10 seats if free and fair elections are held in the country.
BNP has announced it will hold its next divisional rally in Barisal on 5th November. Earlier, the transport union of Khulna had declared a two day strike beginning Friday morning. Transport services including buses, launch and ferries did not operate on Friday and Saturday. BNP claimed that the transport strike was intended to stop people from joining the rally.
Meanwhile, the official news agency BSS reported that over 50 workers, employees and police were injured as Railway station and Awami League office were vandalised by the BNP men on Saturday noon on their way to join the rally. The Khulna Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner Sonali Sen told BSS that some outsiders had an altercation with Railway workers and they ransacked glasses and pelted bricks in which five cops were injured at Khulna.
Accusing BNP of inciting violence, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said on Saturday that BNP wants dead bodies to intensify its movement. He said that if BNP carries out violence like 2013-14, they will get a befitting reply. Calling the BNP rally a conspiracy, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said that anti-liberation forces are hatching conspiracy to foil elections. He said that next general elections will be held as per constitution which has no provision for a caretaker government.
