"Don't keep yourselves inactive in the barracks during the ongoing crisis of the country. Advise the president and chief adviser to overcome the current unrest and restore peace in the country," Col Oli urged the armed forces.

He was addressing a public meeting organised by LDP at Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS) ground in Tongi.

"You [army] have brought peace in many places abroad, now why aren't you doing anything to restore peace in your country?" Oli said, adding, "The country's armed forces came forward in 1971 and 1990 to overcome the crisis then. Why are you silent now when the situation is more critical?"

Oli, who recently left BNP to float the LDP with former president Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, also urged the armed forces to save the country from the 'corrupt gang'.

Referring to former prime minister Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman, Oli said, "They have looted and siphoned off crores of taka abroad in last five years."

"The BNP-Jamaat evil force is conspiring to rig the elections as they know people will not vote for them," said LDP Secretary General Major (retd) Abdul Mannan.

"How can other political parties join the elections when BNP men are holding the offices of the president and chief adviser and the election commissioners?" he questioned.

Presided over by Dr Nazimuddin Ahmed, the meeting was also addressed by Shah Ahmed Badal and Mokarram Hossain Daradi.