BNP’s sit-in at Dhaka entry points today

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will hold a sit-in at all the entry points of the capital today (Saturday) to realise its one-point demand for immediate resignation of the government and holding of the next national elections under a neutral caretaker government.

The sit-in, which will start at 11:00 am and end at 4:00 pm, was announced by BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the party's grand rally in front of its central office in the capital's Naya Paltan area on Friday.

The country's political atmosphere started to heat up centring the rally over the past week. The initial date for the programme was Thursday, but the proposed venue by the opposition camp faced police objections for causing potential public suffering on weekdays.

Subsequently, the party rescheduled it to Friday as the ruling Awami League also announced concurrent programmes.

On Friday, while the BNP was observing the anti-government campaign, the student and youth wings of the ruling party also held a huge political gathering at Baitul Mukarram Mosque area - less than two kilometres from the BNP venue.

However, both camps ended their shows without any untoward incidents.

At Naya Paltan, thousands of BNP leaders and supporters from across the country defied rains and scorching heat to attend the rally, which eventually turned into a huge gathering.

They chanted anti-government slogans demanding the release of Begum Khaleda Zia, the party's chairperson, and in favour of the party's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

Mirza Fakhrul said the BNP has discussed with other like-minded parties and has reached a consensus that a free, fair, participatory election will not be possible under the present government.

"...We [BNP] call upon you [the government] to dissolve the parliament immediately, form a new Election Commission and hold the national election elections under an election-time neutral caretaker government," he said.

"Accept our demand without any delay. Otherwise, you [the government] will be ousted from power with the help of the people," Mirza Fakhrul warned.

He said that the present government is again trying to hold another farcical election to hold on to power by deceiving the people.

The top BNP leader demanded immediate release of detained party leaders including party Chairperson Khaleda Zia and withdraw cases filed against acting chairperson Tarique Rahman.

Law enforcers searched people coming to the capital and detained persons they suspected from Wednesday night. They raided hotels and guest houses in different parts of the capital and detained several hundreds of BNP men who travelled to the capital to attend the rally.

Police, however, claimed that the individuals were arrested on specific changes of subversive activities.

From Thursday afternoon, a huge number of police personnel took positions near the venue of the grand rally at Naya Paltan, Arambagh, Purana Paltan, Kakrail, Motijheel and other adjoining areas. There were also armoured police cars and prison vans parked at the key points of the city with cops on high alert.

Pointing the finger at the police activities, the BNP secretary general alleged that around 600 party leaders and activists disappeared during the last ten years and false cases were filed against four million party leaders and activists.

The top BNP leader accused the government of destroying all the state institutions including judiciary and administration. He called upon the public officials not to carry out the government's illegal order.

Acting Chairman of BNP Tarique Rahman addressed the rally virtually.

Apart from BNP, other like-minded parties simultaneously organised programmes demanding the government's immediate resignation and elections under a neutral caretaker government.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam said that people's lives have become miserable due to soaring prices of essential commodities. He alleged that people outside the capital were not receiving uninterrupted power supply and he accused the government of mega corruption in the power sector.

While presiding over the rally, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas said, "The days of the government are numbered."

He said that people were enthusiastic to participate in the grand rally and cited their frustration with the government's acts such as corruption, killings and enforced disappearance of opposition political activists.

At the rally, Dhaka north BNP Convener Aman Ullah Aman moderated the event, affirming that the government could not stop their ongoing movement to establish people's rights to vote.

BNP Vice-Chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury urged the government to resign and pave the way for holding free, fair and participatory elections under a neutral caretaker government.

BNP Vice-Chairman Barrister Shahjahan Omar said that the government must resign immediately.

BNP Vice-President Abdullah Al Noman emphasised that the rally demonstrated people's unity in ousting the incumbent government and restoring democracy.

BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khashru Mahmud Chowdhury referred to the present government as the usurper of power. He criticised the government for disconnecting the internet during the grand rally and accused those responsible of collaborating with vote thieves.

He also accused the government of initiating a vote-stealing process through the transfer of government officials, including police and mass arrests of opposition leaders and workers.

BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moin Khan pointed out that the government doesn't allow people to express their opinions. He said that people's participation in the rally demonstrated their no confidence in the ruling party.

He also said that the government could not suppress people's movement by using brutal force and called for the government to resign and return power to the people.

BNP Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy criticised a section of the business community and police personnel for expressing their desire to see the current government remain in power.

He called upon the people not to return to their houses unless the government resigns.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com