Ruling quarter snatched people's democratic, human rights

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday alleged that the Awami League-led government has “indulged in a repressive and undemocratic rule”.

“The country has turned into a killing field … the ruling quarter has snatched people's human and democratic rights by holding a unilateral election on January 5, 2014,” she observed.

The former prime minister urged the people to unite to get rid of the situation and restore democracy.

In a press statement, Khaleda made the appeal on the eve of World Human Rights Day to be observed globally today.

Claiming that Bangladesh is passing through a tough time, Khaleda said the ruling quarter has been snatching people's fundamental rights by “reckless torture and repression”.

People of different walks of like, including journalists, rights activists, teachers, students, women, children and leaders and workers of the opposition have been passing through a time of insecurity, she added.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed, meanwhile, blamed the ruling AL for “unleashing the acts of extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance and abduction”.

“Whenever the Awami League comes to power, it unleashes extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance and abduction,” Rizvi alleged while talking to reporters at Kurigram Press Club yesterday.

Claiming that people are enduring horrific and inhuman social and political conditions, Rizvi alleged that the government is engaged in killing people in the name of gunfight.

The BNP leader also blasted the prime minister and the home minister for their “lame excuses” about abductions and extrajudicial killings and said people, including journalists, politicians and businesspersons are “not safe under the rule of the voter-less government”.

The BNP leader also slammed the police department as his party was denied permission to observe the Begum Rokeya Day yesterday.