BSS, Dhaka

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday said giving asylum to Sheikh Hasina is like providing shelter to “a killer and a criminal”.

“Giving shelter to Sheikh Hasina, who fled the county for India after resigning from the post of Prime Minister in face of the student-people movement, is like providing asylum to a killer and a criminal as well,” he said.

He was speaking to journalists after paying rich tributes to Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman at his mausoleum in the capital marking the silver jubilee of Ziaur Rahman Foundation.

Referring to a statement of a neighbouring country regarding giving shelter to Sheikh Hasina, the BNP leader said they have clearly said that Sheikh Hasina is in their country and their behavior to this end is like a “big brother”.

“We have extradition treaty with India. Arrest warrant has been issued against Sheikh Hasina. We have to bring her back to the country through due diplomatic process under the treaty,” he said.

Otherwise, the top criminals of Bangladesh will get chance to seek refuge in different foreign countries, including India, he said.

Describing Sheikh Hasina as a top criminal, he said, “The person who can suck bloods of children could have been a top criminal like her (Sheikh Hasina).”

Referring to the shutdown on Thursday by a section of officials from various Palli Bidyut Samity (PBS) units under the Rural Electrification Board (REB), Rizvi, also BNP spokesperson, said they are yet to get free from the clutches of the autocracy as the cohorts of the fascist government are still in the administration and they are out to create chaos in the country.

He said the PBS and the REB were established by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and the past government tried to erase his name by destroying those.

“We have said several times about the conspiracy (of destroying those). If they have any demand, they can place it before the government. But why did they announce the shutdown instead of informing the government of their demands? This is part of a deep-rooted conspiracy. It is sabotage,” he said.

They did not take the programme during the regime of Sheikh Hasina as they are her cohorts and they are now hatching conspiracies to ruin the organisations , he observed.

The senior BNP leader called upon the government to be cautious further, otherwise, the journey towards democracy which has started with the sacrifices of lives of the boys and girls of the schools and colleges would halt.

“It will create doubt among the people as you (interim government) are making delay (in holding election) in the name of reforms. If you have sincerity, give the power of the people in their hands after making necessary reforms at the quickest possible time,” he said.

Rizvi continued: “Don’t create complications raising the issue of proportionate voting system. It will be like granting patron to the anti-liberation forces by creating completions in the name of election. Many countries across the globe returned from the proportionate voting.”

Referring to Nepal which introduced proportionate voting, he said Nepal had introduced the voting system and has become aimless.

“It is necessary to consider the aspiration of the people and the society to introduce anything new. The civil society has been speaking in favour of proportionate voting. If it is considered correct on the basis of their opinions, the electoral system will collapse. It will need five to ten years to realize the proportionate voting,” he said.

Rizvi said all the political parties (except the Awami League and its allies) accepted the interim government, adding, “It is a government of democracy-loving people and you have to realize what they want.”