Govt trying to divert anti-quota movement into a different stream: Mirza Abbas

FE REPORT

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) alleged on Saturday that the government ware trying to divert the students' anti-quota movement into a different direction by using evil tricks.

Standing committee member of BNP Mirza Abbas made the allegation after placing wreath at the party founder Ziaur Rahman's grave in the capital.

"Those who are (students) on the quota reform movement, their demands are just. BNP supports their just demands," he said.

"What the government is now talking about is just to divert students' movement (quota movement) into a different direction," he maintained.

"The main challenge of BNP is now to dethrone the present Awami League government," he said.

The leaders of the newly-formed partial committees of BNP's Dhaka south and north city units, led by Mirza Abbas, went to pay homage to party founder Ziaur Rahman.

Mr Abbas said full-fledged committees of the units will be formed later through following organisational rules and regulations.

"The newly-formed convening committees' members pledged today that they will continue their struggle until the release of detained party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia," he said.

"BNP never failed in any movement in the past; rather the government tried to foil our movements by different tactics and conspiracies," he mentioned.

Convener of Dhaka north BNP Saiful Alam Nirob and its member secretary Aminul Haque, convener of Dhaka south BNP Rafiqul Alam Majnu and its member secretary Tanvir Ahmed were among the leaders coming to paying respects to Ziaur Rahman.

Member of BNP chairperson's advisory council Abdus Salam, party leaders Moazzem Hossain Alal, Habib-Un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Ane, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, president of Jubo Dal Abdul Monaem Munna and general secretary Nurul Islam Nayan and president of Jatiya Swechchasebak Dal SM Jilani were present, among others.

Meanwhile, BNP will soon announce simultaneous anti-government programmes after completing its ongoing meetings with the like-minded political parties and alliances.

BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan disclosed it to the media on Friday after meeting with an alliance and two like-minded political parties at the party chairperson's Gulshan office in the city.

"Many more political parties and alliance are with our movement. We will announce our new course of programme after discussing with them (political parties and alliance)," he said.

BNP started sitting with their peers from July 11, 2024 to determine new course of anti-government programmes simultaneously.

The party leaders sat separately with the leaders of Bangladesh Labour Party, Liberal Democratic Party and Nationalist like-minded Alliance on Friday at the BNP chairperson's political office.

After the meeting, standing committee member of BNP Nazrul Islam Khan told the media that they were holding meetings with the like-minded political parties and an alliance to strengthen the anti-government movement simultaneously.

"Many more political parties and alliance are with our movement. We will announce our new course of action after discussing with them (political parties and alliance)," he said.

He said that his party held meeting with Bangladesh Labour Party led by its chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran.

BNP also held meeting with Liberal Democratic Party.

Presidium members of LDP Neamul Bashir, Aurangzeb Belal and member of its advisory council Mahbubur Rahnan were present.

Chairman of National People's Party (NPP) Fariduzzaman Farhad led the nationalist like-minded alliance during the meeting with BNP.

Standing committee member of BNP Selima Rahman and vice-chairmen Mohammad Shahjahan and Abdul Awal Minto were also present.

Earlier, BNP held meetings with Gananantrik Bam Oikya or (Left Democratic Alliance), National Democratic Alliance, Gonoforum and Bangladesh Peoples Party on July 11, 2024.

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