Huge crowds at BNP’s Rangpur rally

Staff Reporter :
Tens of thousands of BNP leaders and workers along with general people spontaneously participated in the Rangpur rally on Saturday to express their frustrations at the ‘misrule’ of the government and their ‘failure’ to control the prices of basic necessities.
BNP and people from all walks of life said that the ruling Awami League government has not left any breathing space for their right to speak and right to vote rather their constitutional rights have been breached and their fundamental rights have been ignored during the long tenure of the government.
BNP leaders said that people were ‘fed up’ with the ruling party’s irregularities and mismanagement from bank robbery to money laundering.
They wanted emancipation from the yoke of subjugation and demanded the resignation of the government by handing over power to a caretaker government to hold free and fair elections.
Awami League is now looking for an exit, but thousands of people who have joined the rally will not let this happen, they added.
Defying the 36-hour transport strike, thousands of BNP leaders and workers along with common people from different districts gathered at the Rangpur Collector Eidgah Ground by auto-rickshaws, rickshaws, engine-vans, bicycles, trains and even on bare foot.
The transport strike also caused untold sufferings to the common people as their movement was halted since 6am on Friday from the eight districts of the Rangpur division, which was virtually cut off from the rest of the country.
The rally was scheduled to be held at 2pm, but it started two hours before with the recitation from the Holy Quran. A vacant chair was put in the center of the stage as a symbolic gesture for Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The rally was presided over by Rangpur City BNP convener Shamsuzzaman, while BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Members Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and BNP Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman spoke on the occasion.
Addressing the rally, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that no election would be allowed to be held without the dissolution of the parliament and the handing over power to a caretaker government. Even he said that BNP parliamentarians were ready to resign from the House at any time.
“There will be no election under Sheikh Hasina. The parliament has to be resolved and power to be handed over to a caretaker government. Even our lawmakers are ready to resign anytime. They are waiting for the party’s decision,’ Fakhrul said.
Expressing gratitude to party leaders and workers as well as people’s participation, he said, “People will make Bangladesh free again.”
About economy, he said, “Awami League has gobbled up our country and our economy. They have stolen everything from every sector including Ashrayan projects for 15 years.”
About the transport strike, “If the government is not afraid of the people, why do they call strike and shoot our leaders? People have stood up against the injustice. The world and the national media are witnessing the rally.”
Regarding famine, he said, “Sheikh Hasina and her government have to shoulder the responsibility for the famine, if any. All daily essentials are out of purchasing capacity. It is a sign of famine. We witnessed a famine in 1974 when people were dying in starvation.”
Amir Khasru has said that the government has no links with the people of the country and now they want to prevent people from mass upsurge by calling strikes. “Usually opposition parties call for strikes. But here the government is doing it. It clearly shows how least acceptable Awami League is to the people, he added.
BNP Joint-Secretary General Harunur Rashid said, “People don’t want to see this government now. People have come to the street to protect democracy and sovereignty. The presence of common people in BNP rallies has created tremors inside the Awami League.”
He also said that BNP would announce new programmes on 10 November as part of its movement against the government to restore the caretaker government ahead of elections.
Organising Secretary of BNP Rangpur Division Asadul Habib Dulu said, “People from all walks of life have spontaneously participated in the rally with much enthusiasm. It proves that the government’s time is over.”
Earlier, party workers and leaders from Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha arrived much earlier before the transport strike and spent their nights under open sky, hotels or relatives’ residences.
Many leaders and workers alleged that they had to face police checking at different points on the way to Rangpur.
With the crack of the dawn, the rally ground began to drift in with slogans and carrying colorful banners, posters, paddy sheaf and portraits of party founder Ziaur Rahman, Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.
Gradually the Collector Ground began to swell up with party leaders and activists and other common people to express their solidarity with the BNP as the opposition is echoing the frustrations of their sufferings under the current government’s rule.
AZM Zahid Hossain, BNP Vice-Chairman and the Coordinator of the Rangpur divisional mass rally said, “Tens of thousands of people reached the venue defying all obstructions set by the police and ruling party activists.” He said that the city had turned into a city of processions and rallies as the Collector Ground had filled up with people and spilled over it.
Meanwhile, Jubo Dal joint convener of Kaharol Upazila in Dinajpur Mostafizur Rahman, 45, died of cardiac arrest when he fell sick during the rally, said Kaharol Upazila BNP President Golam Mostafa.
The BNP Secretary General on September 28 announced the plan to hold rallies in divisional headquarters demanding the resignation of the government and the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, protesting at the abnormal price hike of fuel and daily commodities and the killing of BNP leaders and activists.
BNP had completed the rallies in Chittagong Division on October 8, Mymensingh Division on October 15, Khulna Division on October 22, and Rangpur Division October 29.
The next rally will be held in Barishal Division on November 5 followed by Faridpur Division on November 12, Sylhet Division on November 19, Cumilla Division on November 26, Rajshahi Division on December 3 and Dhaka City on December 10.
A two-day transport strike had already been called by the Barishal Division Transport Owners just ten days ahead of the rally.
But the BNP said that such strikes cannot prevent the spontaneous participation of the people including party workers as they have stood to end the government’s mismanagement of foreign reserves and misrule.