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Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said on Saturday that the country has turned into a gas chamber due to unplanned urbanisation.
Senior joint secretary general of BNP Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the comment while distributing bottled pure drinking water and oral rehydration saline (ORS) among pedestrians amid the scorching heatwave at Mirpur in the capital.
"Democracy and people's rights have been snatched away in the country. So people don't show interest to go to the polling centres as they couldn't cast their votes. The parliament has been turned into an entertainment centre," he said.
"Bangladesh has now become a death valley due to jugglery of development of the dummy government. Public life has become miserable due to deforestation, earth filing in water bodies, encroachment on rivers and setting up coal-fired power plants. Bangladesh has now turned into a gas chamber," he continued.
He said that there is a risk of going to jail if anyone speaks bitter truth against the government.
He also said that people might lose their lives if they try to speak about their rights to vote even after 52 years of the country's independence.
He further said that the country has been stripped off through corruption and plundering of public money.
Mr Rizvi said that the government couldn't stop people's voice against continuous oppression, suppression, killing, abduction and enforced disappearance.
He said, "BNP leaders and activists are always with the people of the country during crisis of any type."
"They (the ruling Awami League leaders) verbally show their negative stand against Pakistan. But now they (AL) are praising Pakistan as the country has praised Bangladesh's development," he maintained.
"In fact Mr Obaidul Quader and their cohorts have been following a dual policy," he said.
Acting convener of Dhaka north BNP Farhad Halim Donar presided over the event while its member secretary Aminul Haque was also present.
Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited ailing former president of Rajbari district BNP and also member of parliament Nasirul Haque Sabu at a private hospital in the capital.
He is now undergoing treatment at Popular Hospital, Dhanmondi for cardiac and pneumonia related problems.
Mr Fakhrul inquired about his treatment and his family members.
Another report says: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would hold a workers' rally on May 1 marking the International Workers' Day, also known as Labour Day, in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office in the capital.
The event is going to be organised by Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, an associate body of the party.
Secretary General of BNP Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will be present as the chief guest at the event, according to the party source.