Bangladesh's ex-PM Zia warns of 'fascist collaborators' undermining democratic gains, calls for polls

Dhaka: Bangladesh's former premier Khaleda Zia on Thursday alleged that "fascist collaborators" are still conspiring to undermine the achievements of the July uprising and called for a national election acceptable to all to restore the democratic system in the country.

Her son and the Acting Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Tarique Rahman, asked the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to maintain neutrality, saying public doubt over its impartiality continues to grow.

Zia, who served as the premier for three terms, in a pre-recorded video address to her party workers said that the "fascist collaborators remain active in their schemes” and urged everyone to work together to restore democracy in Bangladesh.

"The fascist ruler fled in mass movement. The people expect that the current interim government will quickly complete the minimum reforms to repair the state and hold an election acceptable to all to return to the democratic system," said Zia, who is in London for medical treatment.

"Let us invest all our strength to build a democratic Bangladesh. Let us further accelerate unity," the 79-year-old said.

"Although I'm in the UK for treatment, I'm always beside you,” she added.

Addressing the meeting attended by around 4,000 party workers and leaders, acting BNP chairman Rahman asked the interim government to maintain neutrality.

“Concerns over its (govt’s) impartiality have already emerged among the people. I urge the government to be more vigilant in upholding neutrality," he said while speaking from London through a virtual platform.

Rahman urged the people to remain alert as “evil attempts continue to destroy the national unity that was built on blood-soaked streets and the electoral atmosphere".

His comments came as leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement or Students Against Discrimination (SAD), which led the July uprising toppling longtime premier Sheikh Hasina, are set to float a new political party on Friday.

Earlier, the interim government said it would conduct the elections after reforms in different sectors. The BNP and other political groups have demanded the polls to be held quickly after minimal reforms.

The demands prompted Yunus to announce that the election could be held by December, but some members of his advisory council said that local elections should be held before the parliamentary polls.

BNP has rejected the idea of conducting the local polls ahead of the national election and expressed concerns that if the interim government was dillydallying the polls to allow SAD leaders to organise their proposed party with media reports suggesting it was named Jatiya Nagorik Party or National Citizens Party (NCP).

Rahman said the BNP would not participate in any “local election trap”.

"A smokescreen is being created before the people using issues like reforms and local government elections," Rahman told the rally.

"Through you, I would like to call upon the farmers, workers, common people, Alem-Ulema, Peer-Mashayekh (Islamic scholars and spiritual leaders) and all sections of society to stay vigilant against this conspiracy to destroy national unity and the environment of the national election," Rahman said and asked his supporters to prepare for the national elections.

A section of students, who led the uprising, have launched a new student organisation, Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsadon, amid protests by private university students who claim they were overlooked for posts in its committee.

According to media reports, tensions quickly escalated when clashes erupted between state-run premier Dhaka University (DU) and private university students at the DU campus over the issue of posts in the new outfit, leaving at least 10 injured.