The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff reporter

BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain yesterday urged the country's 'foreign friends' not to back any conspiracy that might put the country's military into a confrontational course with the people.

He said there was a conspiracy by some foreign quarters to label Bangladesh as a safe haven of Islamic fundamentalists. "Don't try to make Bangladesh another Iraq or Afghanistan," he said.

Delwar was addressing a four-party alliance rally organised to observe a day demanding the lifting of the State of Emergency at the city's Engineers Institute.

Referring to upcoming Delhi meeting between Bangladeshi and India on July 18 on deal of transit facilities, BNP general secretary said any deal to give transit facilities would be violation of the Constitution, as an international pact needs parliamentary approval.

The present "illegitimate, unconstitutional" Government has no right to ink any such deal, Delwar said.

He said the countrymen want to know why the State of Emergency period was being extended ignoring the Constitution.

He said, "the State of the Emergency was declared as a part of a conspiracy and blue print hatched by the local and international quarters."

"It is clear to the people that the Government is keeping Begum Khaleda Zia and Motiur Rahman Nizami detained with a view to keeping them out of the election. The Government will keep them detained by farcical punishment in the name of justice," Khondoker Delwar said.

He alleged that the Government was like heavy stone on the nation's shoulder to establish its agendas and added that the conspiracy to exploit the country would never see the light of the day.

Pointing at Awami League's participation in the local government elections, BNP Secretary general said, "One party wants a walk over to power. So that they don't have any accountability to the people."

Delwar asked the party-men whether they wanted the caretaker government would hold on to power hampering the people and country's interest.

Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed said the Government had been trying to establish the "Minus two theory" after coming to power and added they could minus none, if the people did not.

He asked the Government why they were holding the local government elections ahead of the general elections ignoring the constitution, as they had no wish to form a party like former autocratic ruler Hussain Mohammad Ershad.

Mojaheed also asked why the Government was holding the general elections first, if it was sincere to the Constitution.

Pointing at Awami League, Mojaheed said the Government came to power due to your (Awami League's) pole and oar-politics. You (AL) had intimacy with the government, he alleged.

BNP secretary general announced the programme schedules to observe July 16 as the Basic Human Rights Day and July 17 as protest against 'aggression' day.

BNP Standing Committee members Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqi and Dr RA Gani, BNP leader Selima Rahman, Jamaat leaders Abdul Kader Molla, Moulana Abdus Sobhan and Azharul Islam, Chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Naziur) Barrister Andalib Rahman, its Secretary General Shamim Al Mamun, chief of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Moulana Ishaq and Secretary General of Bangladesh Islami Okyajote Abdul Latif Nizami, among other alliance leaders, addressed the rally.

BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar presided over the rally and BNP Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi conducted it.