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A successful grand public rally in capital Dhaka by the main opposition BNP defying all odds has created a new phase in the country’s politics. The party’s announcement to resign its seven members of parliament from the Jatiya Sangsad added a new dimension to this new phase. From the grand rally, BNP announced 10-point charter of demands and a plan to build up a simultaneous anti-government movement with all other political parties. The core point of the demands is holding the next general election under a neutral and non-partisan government in a free and peaceful manner. Though the 10-point demands are not new. But specifying the 10-point demands to create a new chapter in politics was appreciated by many political analysts.
On the other hand, the ruling Awami League got a respite from the political standoff created over the selection of BNP’s rally venue. BNP’s acceptance to hold its rally at Golapbagh Playground instead of Paltan area in front of its party office removed all tensions from the government as well as the ruling Awami League. Many ruling party leaders have seen it as a political victory for the Awami League and defeat for BNP. They said the BNP has shifted from an adamancy on the issue of holding mass rally in front of party office in Paltan. However, the police raid on BNP office and arrest of BNP’s two top leaders—party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and standing committee member Mirza Abbas—and the death of a party activist in police action have yielded some dividends to the opposition as such activities drew enormous international and local media attention. Many international human rights organisations and the US and the European Union members expressed grave concerns over the government’s actions.
Though the country’s politics has seen a very calm and quite situation after the BNP’s mass rally in Dhaka in a very peaceful manner without any violence, it is still uncertain how long the peace will last. Because, the BNP already announced to observe countrywide mass protest and demonstration programme for December 13 and December 24. These programmers will be observed simultaneously by other like-minded parties.
The BNP’s Dhaka Divisional Rally was the 10th of its kind. Before this one, it also successfully held nine ones at different divisional and major cities. To hold all the 10 mass rallies, the opposing party had to face tremendous resistances and many odds. But it overcome these odds and resistance from both administration and ruling Awami League. Transport strike by pro-government transport owners and workers was the biggest impediment to holding the rallies. But the party overcome the odds and all other impediments through patience and also a good discipline among its leaders and activists. Many political observers believe the holding of mass rallies successfully has created a new faith and confidence among the opposition leaders and activities as well as among the mass people. The BNP now has to keep its momentum to achieve its goal.
BNP MPs To Quit Parliament; Party Floats Fresh Programmes
All seven lawmakers from the BNP announced their resignation from the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) on December 10 before the party placed a 10-point demand at their final divisional.
Demanding the resignation of the Awami League government, the BNP also announced a simultaneous anti-government movement by taking on board like-minded political parties.
To press home its demands, the party will hold countrywide mass processions on December 24.
Another mass procession will be held on December 13 to denounce the killing of a Swechchasebak Dal activist in police action on December 7, police raid on the BNP central office, arrest of the party’s top leaders and attack on its leaders and activists.
“These points are for the restoration of democracy. These are the points of the country’s people, not only of the BNP,” the party’s Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said in his address at the rally.
He said the BNP standing committee had formulated the 10-point charter of demands to free the country from the misrule of the current government.
Gulam Mohammad Siraj, BNP lawmaker from Bogra-6 said: “I submitted my resignation letter to the acting chairman of the party at the standing committee meeting last Friday. We will not go to parliament again.”
The other BNP parliamentarians announcing their resignations are Md Zahidur Rahman from Thakurgaon-3, Md Mosharof Hosen from Bogra-4, Md Harunur Rashid from Chapainawabganj-3, Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan from Brahmanbaria-2 and reserved seat MP Rumeen Farhana.
Senior BNP leaders at the rally demanded the release of party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas from jail.
Fakhrul and Abbas were picked up by detectives from their homes at around 3am on Friday on charges of planning and inciting an attack on law enforcers at Naya Paltan.
Among the BNP’s 10 demands are the dissolution of parliament, the provision of a caretaker government in the constitution through an amendment, formation of a new Election Commission under the caretaker government and creating a level-playing field before the election.
The party also demands holding elections through using ballot papers, releasing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and all other political prisoners without any condition and revoking the Digital Security Act and other repressive laws, ensuring freedom of expression and assembly and keeping all essential items within the buying capacity of the people.
Addressing the rally, BNP Standing Committee Member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said people had joined the rally as they wanted to get rid of the fascist misrule of the current regime.
He alleged that the government has been trying to hang on to power by suppressing the opposition through using law enforcers as it has lost the ground beneath its feet.
Another BNP Standing Committee Member, Dr Abul Moyeen Khan, said the presence of tens of thousands of people at the rally once again proved it is not possible to suppress the masses by resorting to brutal repressive acts.
He said the entire world now knows the Awami League holds the day’s voting at night.
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the government enforced a hartal in the capital while the ruling party cadres are picketing with arms to stop the mass wave of people towards the rally, but they have miserably failed.
Another Standing Committee Member, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, said their party was not given permission to hold the rally at Naya Paltan on the pretext of public suffering. “But they kept the road shut for five days, causing public suffering as they hardly care about the people and their problems.”
Former Speaker and BNP Standing Committee Member Jamiruddin Sircar said the caretaker government system must be restored to restore the election system and people’s voting rights and democracy.
Amanullah Aman, BNP’s Dhaka north city unit convener who presided over the rally, said: “We have gathered here peacefully; we will bring down this government peacefully.”
He said that the massive turnout on the ground proves that the government has no right to stay in power even for a moment.
“Sheikh Hasina is scared. Therefore, they (law enforcers) arrested our activists. One of our workers was also killed. Around 5,000 to 6,000 of our leaders and activists have been arrested in Dhaka ahead of this rally,” the BNP leader said.
Ahead of December 10 rally, law enforcers had tightened security in and around the capital to maintain law and order. Police had set up check posts at all entry points of Dhaka. Some 32,000 policemen were deployed in the city.
Alongside police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansar members were also deployed in different parts of the city to avert any untoward incident.
Activists of the Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League were also seen positioning themselves on different city streets to prevent what they called sabotage by BNP men.
BNP supporters were seen heading towards the rally venue on foot as public transport remained off the streets since the morning. Most shops across the city were also found closed.
To strengthen security, a helicopter of the Rapid Action Battalion was seen patrolling over the Golapbagh ground.
The BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jessore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The party concluded the series with the Dhaka rally after holding similar programs in Chittagong, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barisal, Faridpur, Sylhet, Comilla and Rajshahi.
Fakhrul, Abbas Sent To Jail Ahead Of Grand Rally
A Dhaka court sent Mirza Fakhrul and Mirza Abbas to jail ahead of the party’s mass rally.
Police produced them in Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on December 9 with a plea to keep them in jail until the charges against them were investigated.
The court order came as the BNP got permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to hold its rally on the Golapbagh ground in the Sayedabad area of Dhaka.
Earlier in the day, Fakhrul and Abbas were arrested on charges of planning and inciting an attack on policemen at Naya Paltan.
A DB team picked up the two senior BNP leaders from their homes at around 3am on December 9.
AL Remains Unmoved Over BNP MPs’ Resignation
Terming the BNP lawmakers’ decision to resign from Parliament a mistake, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said that the House would not sit idle without the seven of them.
Several other senior leaders reacted to the BNP’s move a day after the party conducted its 10th and last divisional rally, and declared 10-point charter for demands that included the dissolution of Parliament and holding the next election under a non-party government.
Mentioning that the BNP created terror among the people ahead of their Dhaka rally, Quader said that the party had failed miserably in destabilising the country.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges was addressing the triennial conference of Manikganj unit Awami League. He said a final match would be held next year against the corrupt, the plunderers of public money and those committing crimes against humanity.
He said that the pro-Liberation War force led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would crush the evil forces in the fight ahead.
He also came down hard on the foreign missions in Dhaka for expressing concerns over the ongoing political situation in the country. Quader said the police could not keep mum while being attacked.
Regarding BNP’s threat of ousting the government, he said: “The root of the Awami League is very deep. It is not easy to topple the government of Sheikh Hasina.
Thousands of party activists and leaders gathered on the Manikganj Bijoy Mela Ground ahead of the council.
‘There Will Be No Political Impact’
Awami League Presidium Member and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzak on December 11 said that the previous parliament was run without the BNP.
“The BNP is not the opposition party in Parliament. Therefore, even if seven BNP members resign, there will be no political impact,” he told reporters at the Tangail Circuit House.
The minister added that the BNP lacked competence in declaring a movement and observing it. “It’s unfortunate that they didn’t join the polls before 2018. An opposition party is very necessary for parliamentary democracy. But if there is none, we have nothing to do,” he said.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said the BNP was on the path of violence and terrorism, and its lawmakers resigned from Parliament to obstruct the prevailing democracy of the country.
“The BNP leaders and activists clashed with the common people at different places on December 9 and vandalised and torched motorbikes,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.
“The BNP said that they would demand the government’s resignation and topple it on December 10. But now, they have announced their resignation. It proves that they want to obstruct the democratic system,” he said, adding that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had not taken his oath despite being elected an MP in 2018 due to the directive of their high command.
Meanwhile, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) President and former information minister Hasanul Haque Inu said that the BNP’s demands were a conspiracy to destroy the country’s Constitution.
He was speaking at a view exchange meeting with leaders and activists of the party at the Circuit House in Kushita on Sunday. Rejecting the demands, Inu said the BNP had once again proved that it wanted to destabilize the country.
Slamming the BNP for its allegation that the government was oppressive towards Islamic scholars, Inu said that those behind bars were militants and criminals and not scholars.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim alleged that the BNP wanted to go to power in an unconstitutional way.
“The current government will hand over power to the elected government, and it is a constitutional process, but the BNP and its associate bodies deny the process, which means they do not follow the path of the constitution. Whatever they say is contradictory to the constitution,” he said at a program held at Jatiya Press Club in the city.
AL In Cautious
Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies took positions in different places in the capital so that BNP leaders and workers cannot create any disorder centring their public rally.
Since the Dec 10 morning, leaders and activists of Awami League and associate bodies started gathering in front of AL’s Bangabandhu Avenue central office from different parts of the city with processions.
AL Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud was present in front of the party’s central office and talked to journalists.
He said Awami League leaders and workers remain alert to extend cooperation to the government.
“As the ruling party, it is our duty to extend cooperation to the government so none can create chaos in the country,” he said.
Hasan said: “Our leader Sheikh Hasina gave directives to us to remain vigilant to help the government maintain discipline. Following the order, we took a cautious stand at wards and neighbourhoods.”
AL Presidium Members Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya Bir Bikram, Qamrul Islam and A. H. M. Khairuzzaman Liton, Labor and Manpower Secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj, Jubo League General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Swechchhasebak League President Gazi Mezbahul Hossain Sachchu, General Secretary Afzalur Rahman and Krishak League General Secretary Umme Kulsum Smriti were present, among others.
Later, leaders and workers of AL and associate bodies marched on different streets in and around of Bangabandhu Avenue.
Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders and workers took strong positions on Dhaka University campus.
Leader and workers of AL and associate bodies also brought out processions in different city points.
