Barishal cut off ahead of BNP rally

Staff Reporter :
The southern district of Barishal has been virtually cut off from the rest of the country by road and waterways when BNP has its fifth grand rally in Barishal city today (Saturday).
BNP has been holding divisional rallies to protest the government’s ‘misrule’, and demand for a caretaker government to hold fair election, release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and price hike of daily essentials.
BNP said the people were not happy with the government and that is why they joined the rallies.
It is claimed that the transport strikes had been called at the instructions of the ruling Awami League to foil their congregation, while AL brushed aside the allegation, saying the government has no hand here.
But the BNP and people said that if AL was not supporting the strikes then why the government was not asking the transport owners to withdraw the strikes and to stand by people to make their movement free.
The suspension of bus, three-wheelers, launches and speed boats services have caused immense sufferings to the common people who have been made hostage at the hands of the transport owners.
However, wherever BNP has been holding rallies, such strikes begin at least two-days before the event. During those rallies, general people experienced troubles owing to the strikes in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna and Rangpur.
The strikes disconnected Barishal with six other districts and beyond, but the flow of people, especially the BNP leaders and workers continued towards the venue Bangabandhu Uddyan.
Defying the strikes, thousands of BNP men had already reached Barishal city since Wednesday and rest of them would reach by Saturday before the rally begins.
Most of the BNP workers are now staying in residential hotels, relatives’ houses or under the open sky by erecting makeshift arrangements. They alleged that police searched the local hotels and questioned them.
Meanwhile, some BNP leaders and workers were seen busy in completing the stage, while others were carrying out campaigns by distributing leaflets urging people to join the rally to realize their demands.
Even the BNP leaders and workers who had arrived in the venue earlier said their Jumma prayers in there and prayed for the success of the rally. Even they also prayed for the recovery of Khaleda Zia from illness.
Earlier, Bhola BNP activist Mostafa said that several hundred BNP men came to the venue much earlier of the strikes and spent nights in Barishal city.
 “Some 1000 BNP men arrived in Barishal from Golachipa of Patuakhali,” Chhatra Dal activist Raihan said.
 “We suffered a lot on the way due to the government sponsored strike. Several thousand BNP men came to the venue by trawlers,” BNP Organising Secretary of Char Mainka Union of Charfassan Upazila Mohsin Sikdar said.
 Barguna district BNP came to Barishal city by at least 41 trawlers on Friday morning as they did not find any bus on their routes.
 “The strike is common now. So we reached here by trawlers. We started our journey at around 10 pm on Thursday night and reached Barishal on Friday morning,” President of Barguna District Jubo Dal Zahid Molla said.
 He also said that a portion of BNP leaders and workers had reached Barishal by motorcycles to avoid the strikes.
 Meanwhile, common people suffered the worst due to the speed boat strike in Bhola since Thursday.
 Bheduria Launchghat in Bhola is the busiest spot for the passengers to reach different destinations by speed boats and launches every day.
 But scores of speed boats anchored at the Bheduria Launchghat were lying idle since Thursday.
 The passengers especially patients and jobholders had been waiting for hours. Being frustrated they looked for alternative means to reach to Barishal and Dhaka.
 The three-wheelers like Mishuk and CNG as well as microbuses were also out of the streets in Barishal since Friday and it will continue till Saturday. As a result the local people especially patients faced untold sufferings.
 On the other hand, the bus terminals in Barishal were silent as all the buses were lying idle, while the ticket counters were off since 6am on Friday. The strike will continue till 6pm.
 People said that such wildcat strikes were untenable as it only caused the sufferings of the people.
 The strikes have not only affected the passengers, but the business community has also been badly hit as they are failing to carry their goods to different destinations.
 Passengers who were travelling by rickshaws or other vehicles out of the purview of strike had to pay additional money for their journey.
 A family came to Natullabad Bus Counter to go to Dhaka, but he found the counters off. “I thought one or two buses would leave for Dhaka, but no vehicle left Barishal,” Md Selim Hossain said.
 On the other hand, Barishal Awami League and its associate bodies were also in the streets and carrying out processions in different streets ahead of their Jubo Dal founding anniversary on Nov 10. As a result a tense situation was prevailing in the city.
 Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in BNP Gulshan office on Friday told the journalists that no threat can suppress their ‘democratic’ movement.
 “If Prime Minister thinks that she would suppress the democratic movement by threats, she is not in the right position. None can foil the mass movement. No threats will work,” he added.
 He also said that the BNP is not overplaying, rather the Prime Minister and Awami League government is doing it.
 “They have killed democracy using the state machinery. Awami League is attacking the peaceful rallies. They are using law enforcers to arrest our people,” he said.
 About the strike, he said, “Have you ever seen in any civilized country that the government calls hartal? They are doing it. Five days ago it was said that no bus service would be operational. Suddenly the water vessels have been suspended. Even speed boats have been halted. How will you explain it?”
 Fakhrul said that people had stood up to save democracy with firm determination at any cost.
 “This wave of people will create mass upsurge. We believe that the government has to resign owing to mass upsurge,” he added. He urged the government to step down; rather they would not get any exit.
 Commenting on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s comment to send back BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to jail if BNP does anything exaggeration, he said, “The government is not only afraid of BNP, but they are afraid of any mass rally because people have stood up.”
 Apart from Barishal rally, BNP has three more rallies this month and two others in December. The next rally will be held in Faridpur and the final one in the capital on December 10.