BNP urges people to force govt out

Dhaka: Referring to Zimbabwe's 'autocratic' ruler Robert Mugabe's resignation, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said it will not be possible to oust the current government here in a normal way without force as it has turned out to be a 'heavy stone'.
"Zimbabwe's autocratic ruler Robert Mugabe has been forced out. But our newspapers gave a very small space for the news in fear of facing the wrath of the government which imposed its autocratic rule upon people like a heavy stone," he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, "Dear young friends and students, our national existence will be at stake and our country will turn into a failed state, if we fail to remove the heavy stone, we won't be able to remove this stone in a normal way. You need force and iron hammers to drive it out."
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student body of BNP, arranged the programme at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman's 53rd birthday.
On Tuesday, Robert Mugabe resigned as Zimbabwe's president, a week after the army and his former political allies moved to end four decades of rule by him.
Fakhrul urged students to get united to restore democracy and people's basic rights, including that to voting.
"If we really want to ensure freedom of the nation, restore our rights, we must wake up. As we've now grown older, we can only speak up as we have no strength to work hard. We need young soldiers like you. All obstacles will be removed if you can get organised," he told pointing at Chhatra Dal leaders and activists.
The BNP leader said the government is conspiring to make Bangladesh a failed state. "They've already destroyed all the pillars of democracy while parliament has got dysfunctional."
He alleged that the government has politicised the administration and established its control on the media.
Turning to the chief justice's resignation issue, he said SK Sinha was forced to leave the country and then quit.