BNP’s Dhaka mass processions held: ‘No more games in name of election’
Staff Reporter :
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday brought out two separate mass processions in the capital as part of a fresh programme of the ongoing one-point movement.
The programme was also meant for mounting pressure on the government to accept the opposition’s one-point demand which includes the resignation of the Awami League government and holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.
Dhaka North and South unit BNP has brought out the processions towards Malibagh from Badda and Kamalapur Stadium areas in the capital respectively.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the Dhaka North city unit’s procession in front of Badda’s Suvastu Tower at about 3:30pm.
Mirza Fakhrul alleged that the government has been trying to suppress the opposition’s movement by resorting to repressive acts and using the judiciary.
He made the remark in a brief address prior to launching the programme.
The BNP leader warned that the government will not be able to thwart the movement by any means.
‘Nothing can suppress us this time.’
Mirza Fakhrul urged the government to quit with dignity by handing over power to a non-party neutral government, paving the way for holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government.
He accused the Election Commission of giving registration to two obscure parties as part of the government’s move to stage another game in the name of election as they did in 2014 and 2018.
The BNP leader warned that the country’s people would not allow the ruling Awami League to play no more games in the name of election this time.
Later, Fakhrul together with party leaders and activists brought out a procession toward Malibagh Abul Hotel.
Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas inaugurated the Dhaka south city unit BNP’s procession in front of Kamalapur Stadium around 3:40 pm.
After a brief rally, the BNP leaders and activists took out the procession toward Malibagh Rail Gate.
Braving inclement weather, thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the two processions, carrying banners, festoons and portraits of the party’s top leaders.
Apart from BNP, Ganotantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote, 12-Party Alliance, Labour Party, LDP, NDM and two factions of Gono Odhikar Parishad observed the programme separately in different areas of the capital.
On July 12 last, BNP and the like-minded parties announced their one-point movement to realise their demands.
Their demands are the resignation of the current Awami League government, dissolution of the existing parliament, formation of the polls-time neutral government and reconstitution of the Election Commission for arranging a free, fair and inclusive election.
The also demanded to release of all political leaders from jails, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, withdrawal of all falls and ghost cases, including those against Tarique Rahman, and annulment of all false convictions.
BNP and like-minded parties and alliances started a simultaneous movement in December last year based on their common objective of ousting the present government to pave the way for holding the next election under a non-party neutral government.