BNP and likeminded parties’ mass rally today

Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other like-minded parties are going to lead an anti-government mass procession simultaneously in the capital on Friday.
With a 10-point charter of demands for restoring democracy through the resignation of the ruling Awami League government and the dissolution of the parliament, the political parties are holding the procession together as part of their joint movement.  
Party sources said that BNP wanted to cement the political alliances with other like-minded parties before embarking on a new programme. After such a simultaneous programme, the parties are thinking of announcing a fresh programme with their demands.
Sources said that BNP will bring out the procession from Nayapaltan, 12-party alliance from Bijoynagar, Gonotantra Mancha from Jatiya Press Club and LDP party from Panthapath, while Jamaat-e-Islami will bring out a separate procession.
The eleventh parliamentary election was held on December 30, 2018. BNP observes it as ‘democratic killing day’, while the left democratic parties do it as ‘black day’ for ‘rigging votes.’
On the same day, BNP and other political parties are going to take the streets with various demands.
Meanwhile, BNP’s Vice-Chairman and Chief Coordinator of the Dhaka divisional rally Dr AZM Zahid Hossain in a press conference in the party office in Naya Paltan on Thursday said that the rally would start from their party headquarters Naya Paltan and march to Mogbazar intersection.
He also said that the procession would be peaceful and urged the party leaders and workers along with like-minded political parties to carry out the programme to raise voices to realise their demands.
Beginning from the party office, the procession will pass through Kakrail, Shantinagar, Malibagh and reach Moghbazar intersection and again return to Naya Paltan in the capital.
“It is our constitutional right to hold a procession. So we have sought the cooperation of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. We hope we will get full cooperation from law enforcers. We urge all to join the procession,” Dr Zahid said.
Though the rally was scheduled to be held on December 24, BNP could not do it because of Awami League’s National Council coincided with the date.
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader requested the BNP not to bring out any procession on the same day.
Upon such a request, BNP deferred the date, but it held the mass procession across the country except the capital. Now the opposition is going to hold the rally with realisation of their 10-point demands.
But during the nationwide mass procession of BNP on December 24, a local BNP leader in Panchagarh district was allegedly killed in police firing following a clash between law enforcers and BNP workers, leaving 50 others injured when BNP brought out a procession to press home their 10-point demand and release of party leaders.
Apart from it, sporadic clashes erupted in other districts and at the same time BNP allegedly faced obstructions from the law enforcers to bring out their processions.
BNP at that time condemned such killing and obstructions, saying that it was against the constitutional right of the political parties to hold procession and rallies.
Meanwhile, following BNP’s mass procession, Awami League (AL) said that their party leaders and workers would remain vigilant during the programme of the opposition.
“We will remain vigilant across the country as we did on December 10. Dhaka will also come under our full surveillance,” Obaidul Quader told the journalists in the Secretariat on Thursday.
“It’s not a counter position. What will we do if the BNP is involved in violence and arson in the name of a rally? Will we stand in silence? We will remain vigilant,” he added.
Along with the BNP, the other political parties under the banner of different alliances would also bring out mass processions expressing solidarity to press home their various demands.
BNP sources said that their recently concluded divisional rallies rouse the leaders and workers with new spirits and now the ‘big challenge’ is to carry out the spirit by chalking out various other programmes.
Party workers are also waiting for the announcement for a fresh programme and the party decision makers are working on it, sources said.