BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today demanded the authorities to immediately arrange a parliamentary election under a nonpartisan government.

“The government is staying in power forcibly. That’s why the Election Commission’s present responsibility is to immediately arrange an inclusive national election in a free, fair and impartial manner,” she said.

Addressing a mammoth rally on the occasion of the second anniversary of January 5 general election, which BNP marks as “death of democracy day”, the BNP chief demanded discussions with the government for the sake of democracy.

“We want an end to the prevailing chaotic situation through discussions and would like to work together for the sake of democracy,” she the former prime minister.

Citing several instances of polls irregularities, the BNP chief alleged that the Awami League government wants to show its popularity by manipulating elections.  

She also lambasted the EC for its failure to hold impartial elections, saying the commission and the government have destroyed the country’s democracy. “Bring back people’s voting rights and the democracy of the country.”

The BNP chief demanded resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed. “Why the CEC still holds the office.”

She also criticised the EC for not deploying army in the recently-held municipality elections. “It has served the government’s purpose one-sidedly.”

The BNP chief blamed the government for enforced disappearance of the party leaders and activists and called upon it to return to the path of democracy by “stopping ongoing abduction, killing and enforced disappearances”.

“Otherwise, you (govt) will not be able to stay in power because we don’t know when people will go for tougher movement,” she said.

The BNP chief came up with the remarks while addressing the rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka this afternoon.

She termed the incumbent government and the parliament illegal, saying no election was held in the country on January 5, 2014. 

All activities carried out by the government are also illegal, said the former prime minister who alternated to be premier and opposition leader in parliament from 1991 to 2013.

She started her address minutes after 4:00pm

The leaders and activists of the party’s Dhaka city unit started the rally at 2:00pm with BNP Standing Committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy in the chair, reports our correspondent from the spot.

Tens of thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its front and associate bodies attended the rally carrying colourful placards, festoons and banners with the portraits of the party’s founder late president Ziaur Rahman, its incumbent chief Khaleda Zia and their elder son Tarique Rahman.

From early hours of the day, people from different parts of the capital and its adjoining areas thronged the venue chanting anti-government slogans.

Khaleda took the podium around 4:05pm amid huge clapping from the audience that extended up to nightingale crossing and Fakirapool intersection.

During her an hour and 13-minute speech, the BNP chief also called upon her party men to get united under the party leadership to fight for what she said restoring the country’s democracy, rule of law and justice.

Today’s rally will be the first public rally for Khaleda Zia in over a year. The BNP chief last addressed a public rally on December 13, 2014 at Kanchpur in Narayanganj as part of her party’s move to force the government for holding the last national election under a non-party administration.

Hundreds of BNP leaders and activists gather at Nayapaltan to attend the rally on Tuesday, January 5, 2016. Photo: Rafiul Islam

Moreover, today’s rally will be her first public rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the last four years.

BNP activists are seen gathered at the rally in front of the party's Nayapaltan headquarters in Dhaka Tuesday afternoon. Photo: STAR

Earlier last night, Khaleda Zia sat with her party’s senior members at her Gulshan office to discuss the issues she would address in her speech today.

READ more: Rally permitted with conditions

Contacted, BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said Khaleda Zia, in her speech, will focus on the one sided and controversial January 5 general election boycotted by most political parties.

The BNP chief will also call upon the government to hold a free, fair and inclusive general election as early as possible, Mahbubur Rahman said.

“But we will not go for any confrontational programme. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is expected to emphasise that BNP is a democratic party and believes in handover of power in peaceful manner,” the BNP leader added.

In last night’s meeting, the BNP chief’s advisers, BNP vice-chairmen and standing committee members, who attended the meeting, also expressed a similar view that BNP should resort to peaceful movement to press home their demands.

Khaleda Zia is scheduled to start for the rally around 2:00pm from her Gulshan residence, Sayrul Kabir Khan, a staff of BNP chief’s press wing, told The Daily Star.

Party leaders and activists have already started to gather at the rally spot stretching from Fakirapul to Nightingale intersection in the capital, Sayrul said.