BNP plans to enforce hartal, blockade around election
BNP has planned to continue mass contacts and distribute leaflets for the next two days to garner public support for boycotting the 'dummy vote' on 7 January.
The party will carry out the programme today, 31 December, the last day of the year, and tomorrow, 1 January, the first day of the Christian New Year.
Sources suggest that this could be the final mass contact programme before the elections. Following this, BNP is reportedly contemplating implementing a blockade or hartal programme from 2 January.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP, announced this two-day mass contact and leaflet distribution programme during a virtual press conference on Saturday.
Rizvi stated that considering the festive spirit of the people on the last day of the year and the first day of the new year, they have opted for mass contact and leaflet distribution instead of more drastic programmes.
This programme has been ongoing since 20 December, emphasising the "one-point demand for the resignation of the illegal Awami government and the re-establishment of a non-party caretaker government system during the election period, and in favour of boycotting the one-sided election and carrying out non-cooperation movement."
It is reported that BNP and parties involved in the simultaneous movement are planning stricter programmes in the new year after 1 January.
Two potential options are under consideration: a continuous hartal or blockade programme from January 2 to January 8, the day after the election, or a two-day break with a blockade followed by a hartal programme. However, no final decision has been made.
According to reliable sources within BNP, the mass contact and leaflet distribution programme, aimed at creating public support for boycotting the vote, has received positive responses.
More than 5 million leaflets have reportedly been distributed across the country. The programme is set to continue until today and tomorrow, Monday.
The senior joint general secretary of the party, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, is actively engaged in daily leaflet distribution across different areas of the capital. Yesterday morning, he participated in mass contact activities, distributing leaflets among shopkeepers and passers-by in the Sector 12 and 13 areas of Uttara.
Reflecting on the leaflet distribution efforts, Rizvi emphasized the need for BNP and opposition parties to distribute materials discreetly to avoid attracting police attention.
He shared his experience of distributing leaflets in various parts of the capital, highlighting the positive response from ordinary people on the streets, footpaths, and in kitchen markets.
The leaflet distribution campaign, initiated by BNP on 20 December, has been conducted over eight days in three phases across the country. The programme is scheduled to continue for a total of 10 days, concluding tomorrow.
Following this, BNP plans to implement a fresh programmes. Additionally, Jamaat-e-Islami and other parties and alliances are conducting similar programmes independently.
Jamaat-e-Islami plans to distribute leaflets, urging a boycott, to at least 10 per cent of the total voters through 87 organisational units across the country.
Additionally, other political parties such as Ganatantra Manchs, 12-Party Alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamana Jote, LDP, JSD, Gano Forum, Gana Odhikar Parishad, and the Labor Party are carrying out similar programmes.
Since the police thwarted BNP's mass rally in Nayapaltan on 28 October, parties and alliances involved in the joint movement with BNP have conducted four rounds of 5-day hartals and 12 rounds of 23-day blockades.
Following this, the BNP has announced the fourth round of a mass contact and leaflet distribution programme, emphasising the call for a vote boycott and non-cooperation against the government.