Hasina, Zia slam each other ahead of mayoral polls in B'desh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today slammed her arch-rival Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) after the main opposition party decided to contest crucial mayoral elections following months of violent street campaign over general elections that left over 130 dead.

"She (Zia) did not take part in the national elections under our government (on January 5) and now preferred to contest the mayoral polls...(but) why people will give them vote," Hasina said addressing a press conference here.

"How a person responsible for unleashing an unprecedented politics of killing over the last three months can seek public support...I have trust on the people that they will not respond to her (Zia's) call for (voting BNP candidates) after what she did," the prime minister said.
 

Hasina's press conference came hours after Zia held a news briefing calling upon the residents of the capital and the southeastern port city of Chittagong to stage a "silent revolution" against the government as the mayoral polls in the two major cities are set to be held on Tuesday.

"I urge the residents of Dhaka and Chittagong to take a silent revenge on April 28 on the government for its misdeeds," Zia said, adding recent attacks on her motorcade during the election campaign were instigated by Hasina and were carried out by the ruling Awami League activists.

Zia's motorcade was attacked twice in the past one week.

She earlier decided to return to politics of ballot after nearly three months of violent campaign enforcing non-stop nationwide blockade and general strikes. Over 130 people were killed and some 500 injured during the protests.