Online Desk: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent ‘unguarded’ statements manifested that she is the most apprehensive about the US visa policy for Bangladesh. Speaking at a teachers’ convention, he also said their party would do whatever is necessary to remove the current Awami League government from power. “Everyone is now scared of the (US) visa policy. Those who have committed corruption and indulged in injustice and extrajudicial killings, judges who conducted trials in a partisan manner and businessmen who were involved in theft and corruption are now terrified,” Fakhrul said. “We can see the most fear on the face of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina. The way she’s speaking seems like a wrong-headed person—described by Justice ATM Afzal in his verdict– has become more wrong-headed…what’s called crazy.”

Shikshak Karmachari Oikya Jote arranged the programme at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking World Teacher’s Day. Over 1,000 teachers and employees from all over the country participated in the convention. Fakhrul came down hard on the prime minister for her comment that Khaleda Zia does not have time and there is no point in crying for her since she is close to 80 years old. “We would like to say, your (PM’s) time is up politically. You please quit with dignity. Otherwise, people will pull you out of power,” he said.

Referring to the PM’s remark as to why the Western countries are bothered about Bangladesh’s election, Fakhrul said the US and European countries are talking about a credible election as they believe in democracy. “The Biden administration has clearly said they want to work with the countries where the democratic system is functional.” “The prime minister in her press conference said she doesn’t understand why there are too much talks about the election when her government has been holding free, fair and good elections. Even, horses laugh hearing such remarks. It’s astonishing that a prime minister, no matter how she has been in power for 15 years, never thinks her comments will make people laugh,” he observed.

The BNP leader called upon people from all walks of life, including the teachers, to join their ongoing one-point demand that includes the resignation of the current regime and holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government. He also said it won’t be possible to remove the Awami League government from power by depending on the US sanctions and visa policy. “No one else will do it (oust the government). We have to do it. We have to do everything necessary to save the country from the grasp of the terrible monstrous regime. Inshallah m, we’ll win.”

Fakhrul said Bangladesh is going through a political crisis as an undemocratic, fascist and looter regime has long been ruling the country unlawfully and unconstitutionally. “The situation has reached such a level that people no longer can tolerate this regime amid unusual hikes of prices of essentials and political and social disorder.” He alleged that the government has destroyed the education sector and academic atmosphere in the educational institutions. “Teachers are being appointed based on bribe and political affiliation instead of considering their competence.”

The BNP leader alleged that VCs of the public universities are now indulging in corruption. He said the government, which has no accountability to the people, has changed the state structure, destroying good governance and democracy. “People apply their power by casting their votes on a single day to elect their representatives. The government has also destroyed this scope by snatching the common people’s right to franchise,” Fakhrul said.