BNP rejects demand for resignation of govt

BNP General Secretary and LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday said it's nothing new, they have continuously been calling for the government to step down since the four-party alliance came to power in 2001. Instead of clamouring for the resignation, the opposition parties should rather sit down with the government and discuss all their demands and grievances, he observed.

Bhuiyan was addressing a meeting preparatory to the ruling party's grand rally slated for December 21 at Paltan Maidan.

He reiterated his call for the opposition to sit in a dialogue to resolve the problem of growing militancy in the country. He once again sought support from all political parties in fighting the menace of religious extremism.

Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina at a press conference on December 4 rejected the prime minister's call for dialogue on ways to tackle militant activities and said immediate stepping down of the ruling coalition is the only way to stop the ongoing bomb terrorism in the country.

The LGRD minister said the government will continue detaining the suspected militants to contain violence irrespective of whether or not the opposition joins the dialogue.

If necessary the government may launch a combing operation across the country to arrest the culprits.

With Mannan Bhuiyan in the chair, the meeting was held at his official residence. It was participated among others by Standing Committee Members Khandoker Delwar Hossain, Abdul Matin Choudhury, Khandker Mahbubuddin Ahmed, Vice-president Sarwari Rahman, Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman, Joint Secretaries Abdullah Al-Noman, Mirza Abbas, Selima Rahman, and BNP leaders Amanullah Aman, Mofiqul Hasan Tripti and Imran Saleh Prince.

The meeting urged all BNP men to ensure a mammoth gathering at the Paltan Maidan on December 21. Some of the leaders proposed for arranging multi-media screens for those who may not be able to reach near the main podium.