Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia yesterday urged the government to engage in talks to find out a solution to the country’s political problem and ‘restore’ democracy.
“Let’s bring a solution through talks and restore democracy. We don’t have any grievance, complaint and anguish against anybody … we had suffered and also forgotten it. So, I would like to tell all there’s no reason to be afraid of. You (government) made mistakes and it’s enough to realise that,” BNP chairperson told a public rally in Dhaka yesterday. 
She also renewed her party’s demand for holding a national election immediately. 
Zia, also former prime minister, urged the people to get united for raising their voice peacefully against the regime and for restoring democracy. 
BNP arranged the rally to observe January 5 as the ‘Democracy Killing Day’, showing the party’s disapproval to 10th parliamentary polls held on this day in 2014. 
This was for the first time since 2014 that Zia was allowed to address public rally after she was interned in her political office for several months.
Referring to December 30 municipal polls, she said the government and the election commission once again proved that no fair and acceptable election is possible under them. 
The BNP chief said the ruling party has resorted to vote rigging and irregularities in the polls to show people it has vast popularity. “If you want to show your popularity then hold a fair election under a non-party administration,” she said. 
Appreciating the government for finally allowing her party to hold the rally, she urged the government to restore people’s other democratic rights. 
Zia demanded the release of all “political prisoners”, including Nagorik Oiky convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, her party’s arrested leaders and activists, and withdraw the false cases filed against them.