20-party alliance planning new action programmes

The BNP-led 20-party alliance has worked out a new strategy to stage frequent showdowns across the country through holding rallies, processions and demonstrations alongside the ongoing hartal and blockade programmes, reports UNB.
The alliance leaders said it is now necessary to include new action programmes with hartal and blockade to bring their leaders and activists on the streets in a bid to mount pressure on the government to concede to their demand for a fresh inclusive election.
They said the government is thinking of holding Dhaka City Corporations polls as part of its plot to derail their movement. "So, we want to intensify the movement further with people's participation ignoring the DCC polls issue," a BNP leader told the news agency.
He said the 20-party alliance also wants a positive outcome of their ongoing movement before the government goes for the DCC polls.
A BNP leader close to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said she has already sent out a message to the top leaders of her party, its associate bodies and alliance partners to observe street demonstrations and protest rallies on various issues every week to prove that their movement has people's involvement, and thus boost up the morale of the party's grassroots leaders and activists.
"The country is now going through a serious democratic crisis. People want the government to create a congenial atmosphere for holding a fresh election through talks. But the government is now hatching a conspiracy to hold the DCC polls, ignoring people's hopes and aspirations," BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman told the news agency.
Mentioning that the DCC polls are nothing but a government trap, he said they would not fall into it. "We will rather toughen the movement."
"We are now thinking of bringing a new dimension to our movement, with more action programmes alongside hartal and blockade so that our leaders and activists become more active and don't get frustrated," Mr. Mahbub said.
BNP Publicity Affairs Secretary Zainul Abedin Farroque said the government should have engaged in talks to resolve the political crisis amid their current movement for the sake of democracy, the country and its people.
"Now we have no option but to intensify our movement. Our justified movement has the support of the majority of the country's people, as well as the international community, seeking an inclusive election," he said.
Asked why their party men are not seen on the streets during hartal and blockade programmes, he said the law enforcers fire shots and launch attacks whenever the opposition men try to stage a peaceful procession. "Despite that, the opposition activists are taking to the streets across the country. Our policymakers are also thinking of taking some new programmes so that party activists' presence on the streets increase."