Bangladesh: Opposition holds multiple protests, demands PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation
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Days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina roared that it isn't easy to shake her Awami League party, Bangladesh's opposition parties staged multiple protests across the country.
Bangladesh's opposition parties led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) staged multiple public meetings at several places across Bangladesh as they continued their combined efforts to press Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down and announce fresh elections at the earliest. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced countrywide rallies and processions for January 16 to protest against yet-to-be-implemented plan of Dhaka to hike power prices.
Speaking at one of the rallies in Dhaka, announced countrywide rallies and processions for January 16 to press the party’s 10-point demand and protest the government’s plan to hike power prices.
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It was said that the programmes will be observed in all metropolitan cities, districts, towns, upazilas and municipality headquarters.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that Prime Minister Hasina led Awami League was clinging to power by using police and bureaucrats. In process, Alamgir claimed that government in Dhaka was snatching peoples voting rights in the past two general elections.
"The people want freedom from this authoritarian regime," Alamgir said.
What is the BNP demanding?
The BNP is demanding Prime Minister Hasina’s resignation in favour of fresh elections under a caretaker government instead of ruling Awami League. The BNP claims that the polls to be rigged by Sheikh Hasina's administration. Bangladesh is scheduled to hold its next general election in 2024.
WATCH | WION Dispatch | India: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to meet top leadership
The BNP boycotted the 2014 and 2018 elections, but under a special provision, it allowed several of its leaders to take part in the last elections. BNP alleged that the elections that put Sheikh Hasina in power in 2018 and before that were rigged.
At a separate rally in the capital, senior BNP leader Mirza Abbas demanded a non-party caretaker government to hold a credible election.
"The time to cling to power by force is over."
Political analysts said the BNP has rallied significant support but the party was rudderless after its chairperson 77-year-old Khaleda Zia was convicted of two graft charges.
A court in 2017 sentenced her to a 17-year jail term and she spent months in prison.
Zia, a three-time Prime Minister, however, was allowed to stay at her home in Dhaka under a special government provision since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and debarred from joining any political activity.
Awami League won't fall: Sheikh Hasina
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that "the extreme rightist and leftist groups" were joining hands with the opposition BNP to try to oust her government.
"Now they (BNP) are saying they will wage a movement getting beside them the extreme leftists and rightists as companions," she told a party discussion, Press Trust of India reported.
"Let me tell you (BNP) one thing. The Awami League works for the people and their welfare. Don’t think it will fall if one shakes it. Things are not that easy."
(With inputs from agencies)
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