Bangladesh Nationalist Party – BNP's Dhaka rally ended on Saturday (Dec 10) with a 10-point demand including resignation of ruling Bangladesh Awami League government and dissolving of parliament. The party's standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain placed the demands while speaking at the rally at Golapbagh field in the capital, local media reported.
The demands include formation of a neutral caretaker government/interim caretaker government in line with sections Kha, Ga and Gha of article 58 of the constitution that was in place in 1996. Later it was abolished.
The caretaker government must form a neutral Election Commission, which will ensure a level-playing field for all parties; the use of EVMs and party symbols in local government elections will be annulled.
Convictions of all the opposition leaders and activists, including Khaleda Zia, journalists and religious scholars will have to be scrapped; and all "false cases" filed against them should be withdrawn, according to the 10-point demand.
There will be no barrier to holding rallies and no cases can be filed to gag the opposition's voice.
All the "black laws", including the Digital Security Act 2018, Anti-Terrorism Act 2009 and the Special Powers Act 1974 must be repealed.
Anti-people government decisions, including price hikes of electricity, fuel, fertiliser and water should be scrapped.
Prices of daily essentials should be brought under people's capacity and the market should be "syndicate-free".
A commission must be formed to identify "the corruption" in banking and energy sectors and share market.
All the victims of "enforced disappearances in last 15 years" should be rescued and those responsible for "extrajudicial killings" must be identified and punished.
Criminals responsible for attacking houses and places of worship belonging to the minorities should be brought to book.
Steps should be taken so that the law enforcement agencies, judiciary and administration work independently and without any interference of the government, it added.
