The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

BNP Parliamentary Party (BNPPP) yesterday accused the ruling Awami League of trying to make a one-party parliament by keeping the opposition outside it.

"The ruling party does not want BNP to play its due role in the parliament to continue democracy in the country," Zainul Abedin Farooque, chief whip of the opposition told the journalists at a press briefing at his NAM flat.

"We demanded of the government to make the environment conducive to our joining in the parliament," he added.

Criticising the Prime Minister's recent remark that BNP came to power in 2001 after "giving an undertaking to sell gas to India," the chief whip of the opposition termed it as a 'mere propaganda'.

"We would like to protest this saying that the people of this country know very well who have come to rule the nation on more than one occasion through forfeiting the people's right to voice opinions," he mentioned.

"The government should stop hatching conspiracy against us and create a better environment so that we can join the parliament," he noted.

Regarding the Tipaimukh Dam issue Zainul Abdin Farooque termed the Prime Minister's recent suggestion for sending a separate water-expert team by the BNP as the outcome of a false notion.

"Tipaimukh dam is a national issue. There is no need to divide the nation on this issue. India is planning to use Bangladesh territory as a corridor through the Asian Highway," he added.

Replying to a question the chief whip of the opposition said, BNP will give names of its representatives only if the parliamentary party members to visit Tipaimukh include impartial persons and national experts.

"We have forwarded five names under the category of neutral experts. Now the prime minister asks us to send our own team. Will India permit BNP to send in a separate delegation?" the opposition chief whip said on the prime minister's recommendation that BNP can send its own Tipaimukh delegation.

The chief of the opposition said the BDR mutiny has caused a irreparable loss to the patriotic Army and destroyed the border security force.

Among others, MPs Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie, Abul Khair Bhuiyan, ABM Ashrafuddin, and Syeda Asifa Ashrafee Papia were present.