Dhaka, Feb 2 (bdnews24.com)—Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday laid the blame on the BNP for the deaths of five people in three districts during the opposition's recent mass procession.
She alleged that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was trying to ride to power on the back of the army and called on her arch-rival to stop playing such 'suicidal game'.
"It's the BNP that killed these five people. The BNP is killing people under the guise of agitation. The opposition leader thinks that getting someone killed will put her back in power," Hasina said on Thursday.
The Awami League president made the remarks at a view- exchange meeting with her party's grassroots leaders from Jessore district at her official residence Ganabhaban.
On Sunday, four BNP activists were killed in Chandpur and Laxmipur after the police intercepted mass processions in the district towns under a nationwide opposition programme. A supposed Jamaat-e-Islami activist was killed in Rajshahi City in clashes the following day.
"The opposition chief will have to answer one day for killing the people on the pretext of movement," Hasina said and added, "How much more blood does she want, how much blood-letting will satiate her?"
The prime minister alleged that the opposition was staging anti-government demonstrations to save the suspected war criminals and the corrupt. She suggested that the people may no more want to see BNP in power again.
After the non-party caretaker government system was scrapped through the 15th amendment to the constitution last year, BNP has been launching movement demanding restoration of the 15-year-old constitutional provision.
Hasina said that there was no scope to reintroduce the caretaker government as the constitution has been amended and the High Court gave its verdict on the issue.
"It means she wants to play with the army, she is trying to come to power by using the army? You have shed much blood of the army. Now (please) stop this desperate game."
The Bangladesh Army at a press conference on Jan 19 said that it had foiled a plot in December by some serving and retired officers with extreme religious views to topple the Sheikh Hasina government at the instigation by some of non-resident Bangladeshis.
Prime minister Hasina the next day suggested that the opposition BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami was plotting against her government.
Last week, she again said the BNP chief had issued an ultimatum that the government will not be able to hold on to power after December. "The December 'miracle' has come out of the hat. The conspiracy was foiled just a few days ago," she had said.
The prime minister on Thursday asked the BNP chief to play by democratic norms. "The dream you are cherishing in demanding the caretaker government will not be fulfilled.
Questioning the logic behind the demand for caretakers, she said, ""What happens if the caretaker government does not announce election? Will the caretakers put him in power?"
Refreshing Khaleda's memory on the past caretaker government, she said, "Moeen Uddin (Ahmed) and Fakhruddin (Ahmed) drove your sons out of the country after giving them a good beating. Who knows that what will happen to you if a caretaker government takes power again?"
The prime minister urged the grassroots leaders to strengthen the party to face all 'plots of the opposition' against the country and Awami League as well.
Deputy leader of parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, joint secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif were also present at the function.
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