The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, on Saturday urged the government to immediately free the party's ailing chairperson and thrice-former prime minister Khaleda Zia, without any conditions attached.
Otherwise he warned of dire consequences.
鈥淲e would like to clearly say, free our leader immediately (without any conditions).' Otherwise, you have to get ready for any consequence,鈥� he told a mammoth rally in the capital, the BNP鈥檚 largest public show of strength this year, that started with party boycotting the January 7 election.
The BNP leader also said that the country鈥檚 people would no longer let Khaleda stay in jail.
Stating that the country is not safe in the hands of the current 'looter regime', he called upon the country鈥檚 people to take to the streets to remove Awami League from power.
He also said that their party would intensify the movement to protect the country from Awami League鈥檚 misrule and restore people鈥檚 lost rights.
Fakhrul said that the government had jailed Khaleda and many BNP leaders with an intention to obliterate democracy.
Recalling the BNP chief鈥檚 role in different democratic movements, Fakhrul said that there was no scope to separate Khaleda and the country's democracy.
BNP arranged the rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office, demanding the unconditional release of Khaleda Zia.
It was in fact the first major rally arranged by BNP in eight months since the pivotal events of October 28 last year, following almost the entire leadership of the party active in Bangladesh was jailed.
BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas, one of the first to be picked up in the ensuing crackdown alongside Mirza Fakhrul, presided over the rally.
He said that the country was now filled with thieves and plunderers in the absence of democracy and the rule of law.
In such a situation, he called upon the BNP leaders and workers to take to the streets with a strong resolve to have Khaleda Zia freed from jail without any conditions, and to restore democracy in the country.
鈥淲e would like to say our leader Khaleda Zia must be freed. When thieves and criminals are being freed, what is the problem in freeing her?鈥� the BNP leader said.
He said that they would not stop their movement without the unconditional release of Khaleda Zia, as they believe democracy would not be restored without her.
BNP standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Begum Selima Rahman, among others, addressed the rally.