Tension high as AL, BNP set to face off on Feb 08

BNP is taking all-out preparations to ensure the huge presence of its leaders and activists in the capital on February 8 before the announcement of the verdict in a graft case against Khaleda Zia while the ruling party is reportedly planning to resist them, triggering a fresh political tension, reports UNB.
BNP insiders said the party high ups have already given directives to its rank and file to take positions in different areas around Bakshibazar special court on the day defying any type of obstacles so that they can stage a massive demonstration if Khaleda Zia is convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
However, the party men have been asked not to indulge in any violence, but resist if police and ruling party activists attack them.
Awami League senior leaders said they have also instructed their party leaders and activists to keep vigil on the streets on the day so that their main rival party activists cannot create any 'chaos' over the court verdict.
Besides, police officials at a meeting, led by new IGP Mohammad Javed Patwary,on Thursday evening decided not to allow BNP men to create any trouble in the city on February, no matter what will be the court judgment.
As per their decisions, huge police personnel will be deployed in and around the special court areas and all the entry points of the city while few vehicles will be allowed to ply roads so that BNP leaders and activists cannot gather at any point for staging demonstration.
Meanwhile, police drives are on to arrest BNP leaders and activists in three cases filed with Shahbagh Police Station over Tuesday's attack on police near the High Court.
Police have already arrested over 250 BNP leaders and activists, including its standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy in the three cases.
Contacted, Awami League joint general secretary Mahabubul Alam Hanif said BNP has exposed on Tuesday by attacking police that it could not yet come out of 'subversive activities'.
"So, they may try to indulge in violence on February 8, and police will handle any such move with an iron hand."
He said ruling party men need not to take to the streets as police are capable enough to face the BNP cadres.
An Awami League presidium member, wishing anonymity, said their party men will be out there on the streets alongside police to resist BNP's any anarchic activity.
Maruf Hossain Sardar, deputy commissioner of DMP (Ramna zone), said they will take strong security measures so that no one can indulge in any violence or disorder on February 8.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said their party leaders and activists together with people can register their protest in a peaceful manner if their chairperson is 'unlawfully' convicted in a 'false' case.
"BNP doesn't believe in the politics of violence. But the government is trying to create a volatile situation with its provocative acts. We also conducted our movement in a peaceful manner in the past, but the ruling party carried out subservice acts to malign us and shift the blame onto us," he said.
Fakhrul said they are aware of the government's plot and already instructed their party men not to respond to any provocation of the ruling party activists and police.
Under the circumstances, BNP is going to hold its national executive committee meeting at Hotel Le Meridien hereon Saturday inviting 700 party leaders to take their opinions about the party's next course of action and give them necessary directions to remain united under any circumstance and carry out movement peacefully as well as to take preparation for next polls even if Khaleda is convicted.
Meanwhile, Khaleda along with party senior leaders have already worked out some plans as to how the party will be run in case she is jailed.
As per a plan of them, party standing committee members, led by its senior most member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, will run the party and take major decisions in consultation with Tarique Rahman, now in the UK.
Tarique, the BNP vice chairman, will become the acting chairman of the party as per their party constitution in absence of Khaleda.
The party has also started sending letters to Foreign Ministers of different influential courtiers to mount pressure on the government so that Khaleda is not convicted with its influence.
In a letter written to Italian Foreign Minister, the party said, "We write you on behalf of BNP, Italy to draw your esteemed attention to the political attempt by the highly flawed Sheikh Hasina-led government in Bangladesh to disqualify...Khaleda from national parliamentary elections by way of a fabricated case on February 8, 2018."