BNP secretary general Khondkar Delwar Hossain yesterday said that Awami League (AL) would never be able to assume power if people can rightly cast their votes. "You (AL) will never be able to come to power in future if free and fair elections are held and if people can freely vote for their candidates," he said at a protest rally in front of the party central office at Naya Paltan in the city.

Jatiyatabadi Krisak Dal organised the rally demanding release of all political leaders including former state minister advocate Abdus Salam Pintu. Delwar also demanded of the government to hold an election as a 'test case' to judge its popularity. He alleged that the BNP leaders who had been imprisoned during the last caretaker government rule got released from the jail but this present government was making an vile-attempt to put them behind bars.

"Aman (former state minister of BNP) is the victim of their (government) ill-attempt and he had been badly treated by the law enforcers after his return from Singapore at the Zia International Airport though he was still suffering from illness," said the BNP secretary general. He also slammed the government for placing Abdus Salam Pintu on remand. "We never saw anyone who was taken on remand after framing charge-sheet against him," said Delwar. He expressed grave concern over the price hike of essentials and breakdown of law and order.

Delwar held the government responsible for making the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) ineffective. "The government has formed the illegal parliamentary probe committee only to humiliate the BNP," alleged BNP secretary general. He said, the government was trying to distort the history and at the same time trying to establish supremacy on the judiciary but their evil design will never be fulfilled. He urged the government to desist from any move that goes against country's interest. Earlier, a joint meeting was held at the BNP central office.

Emerging from the joint meeting, BNP office secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed said that a celebration committee had been formed to observe Solidarity Day on November 7. He said, BNP joint secretary general Mirza Abbas has been selected as the convener of the committee. "Party flag will be hoisted at BNP central office at 6 am, at 10 am the BNP leaders led by Khaleda Zia will place wreaths at the grave of president Ziaur Rahman and at 3 pm BNP will hold a discussion meeting on the occasion," said BNP office secretary adding "We will organise a protest rally in front of the party central office at 3 pm on Sunday protesting the government's oppressive attitude towards us."

-The Independent