The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) asked the ruling Awami League (AL) not to announce simultaneous political programmes to avoid political violence and traffic disruptions, particularly in Dhaka.
Before marching from Uttara's Abdullahpur towards Jatrabari in the capital on Wednesday, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas made the call.
On the second day of BNP's nationwide rallies seeking to oust the government and subsequently establish a poll-time neutral caretaker government, he said, "We have no issue with Awami League holding programmes, but they must avoid clashing with ours."
"This is causing violence, and we will not tolerate it any longer. We'll respond firmly to your actions," he said.
After countrywide clashes and one fatality in political violence on Tuesday amid AL-BNP concurrent events, Abbas on Wednesday accused AL of deliberately inciting unrest by scheduling programmes on the same day as BNP's.
During the rally preceding the march, the top BNP leader asserted that the people of Bangladesh would secure their voting rights by ousting the current government through their one-point movement.
He accused the government of oppressing the people for the past 15 years.
He mentioned the incident in Lakshmipur district where the BNP was killed during the march on Tuesday, alleging that the government attempted to disrupt their peaceful procession by inciting chaos.
The BNP senior leader emphasised their legal right to hold rallies and processions as part of their ongoing movement to establish democracy in the country.
Addressing the Awami League general secretary's remarks about the next elections, he said that BNP would not participate "under the constitution of Awami League or former Chief Justice Khairul Haque".
The provision for holding elections under a caretaker government was removed from the constitution by a verdict of the Supreme Court during the tenure of former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque.
Thousands of BNP leaders and activists peacefully concluded their march at Jatrabari after passing through several areas.
As usual, the event caused a massive traffic gridlock across the city, inconveniencing commuters due to the simultaneous march of BNP and the peace rally by the ruling AL.
talhabinabib@yahoo.com
