The government wants to hold on to power, using law enforcers, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said, accusing it of turning the country into a "security state".

People's rights have been snatched, he said, adding that no one, not even politicians and intellectuals, could exercise any right. 

"Only the ruling party and its machinery are enjoying all rights."

At a programme of Jubo Jagpa, youths' body of Jatiya Gonotantrik Party, Fakhrul also said police now began to behave like kings since the government was using them in its interest.

The discussion was organised at the auditorium of the Photo Journalists Association in the capital's Purana Paltan to mark the 26th founding anniversary of the Gonotantrik Party.

The BNP leader there pointed to two recent incidents -- assault on a Bangladesh Bank official and on another of Dhaka South City Corporation by police. 

While beating up the city corporation official, cops made an arrogant remark that hilsa is the king of fish while police the king of the state, Fakhrul said, adding, "This is the country's real scenario now."

Without permission, the opposition party could not hold any meeting, not even inside any room, he alleged. 

The BNP leader urged the government to shun its arrogant attitude and restore a democratic atmosphere in the country by holding a fair election through talks.

"People must wake up someday, and you won't find any way to suppress their spontaneous resistance," Fakhrul warned the government.

Quoting newspaper reports, he said Tk 77,000 crore had been laundered during the last fiscal year and blamed it on ruling party men.

"There's no sector, from which the ruling party men are not siphoning off money and sending those abroad," Fakhrul added.

Meanwhile, Dhaka city unit BNP has decided to hold a protest rally on Wednesday at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh, demanding the release of all BNP men, including its convenor Mirza Abbas, from jail.

BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, advisor of the party unit, made the announcement while addressing a meeting of the convening committee.

The meeting decided that the party would hold several programmes, including discussion, to observe the birth anniversary of its founder Ziaur Rahman, Gayeshwar said.