BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday said people are not viewing the opposition’s long march and other street programmes positively as the government has been in office for only six months.
“You are holding long march and various programmes before even six months have passed. Instead of constructively criticising what the government is doing according to its pledges, you, as the opposition, have started showing your presence on the streets. The people are not taking this positively; they are not viewing it favourably,” he said.
Rizvi made the remarks while talking to reporters at BNP’s central office at Nayapaltan.
Asked about the Jamaat-e-Islami ameer’s claim during Saturday’s long march that the government has failed to run the country in its first six months, Rizvi said the government has five years to govern.
“He is saying the government has failed to run the country. You should ask people from different professions and walks of life in this country, in what way and in which area has it failed?” he said.
Rizvi urged the opposition to follow democratic practices by raising issues both inside and outside Parliament.
“You speak quite well in Parliament at times, I see. But as soon as you come outside, it is completely different. The language you use is neither parliamentary, nor civilised or decent,” he said.
“You can speak inside Parliament, and you can also organise programmes outside Parliament. You can hold discussions, meetings and rallies and point out the government’s mistakes and shortcomings. That will make the government more cautious,” he said.
He said if the opposition had any alternative proposal regarding gas and fuel, it could have discussed it in Parliament, explaining how the government should address the issue and what its alternative proposal was.
“They have not said anything, backed by data, statistics or other information, about through which route and how fuel can be brought in. They have not spoken like a responsible opposition does in developed democracies,” Rizvi said.
“Instead of pointing out mistakes and shortcomings, you have adopted a different approach, which I believe is an attempt to destroy the democratic framework, the young plant of democracy that is beginning to grow,” Rizvi said.
Rizvi said the opposition’s long march and other programmes are aimed at overshadowing positive changes in various sectors of the government and upward trends in development and production indicators.
“They have taken these programmes to cover up these positive aspects and the positive changes taking place in various sectors of the government. I would say they are adopting a very anti-people character through these statements and activities, while encouraging wrongdoing, illegality and obscenity,” he said.
Rizvi also asked BNP leaders and activists across the country to remove all billboards and signboards installed as part of the party’s 48th founding anniversary programmes.
