BNP has announced a six-day fresh programme, including a mass rally in Dhaka on 18 October, to mount pressure on the government to accept the opposition’s one-point demand.
The programmes will begin on 7 October and end with the public rally on 18 October in Dhaka. There has been feverish speculation in recent days about a possible change in the BNP's programmes in the days ahead.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with the announcement at the party’s road-march programme in front of the party office in the port city’s Kazir Dewri.
Fakhrul said they will no longer hold road marches as they will observe all programmes mainly in Dhaka in the days to come.
He said they are refraining from any programme during the period of Durga Puja, but they will come up with tougher programmes after the religious festival of the Hindu community.
The other opposition parties will also observe a similar programme simultaneously to press home the one-point demand that includes the resignation of the current government, holding the next election under a neutral government and the unconditional release of Khaleda Zia.
The programmes include a teachers' rally on 7 October in Dhaka while rallies across the country including in Dhaka, on 9 October9, students’ convention in Dhaka on 12 October, a mass-hunger strike on 14 October across the country, including in Dhaka, a youth rally in Dhaka on 16 October and a mass rally in Dhaka on 18 October.
BNP senior leaders, wishing anonymity, said their party might give an ultimatum to the government from Dhaka’s rally to accept their one-point demand.
If the government does not accept the demand by the deadline, the party will come up with harsher programmes like besieging important government establishments or enforcing blockade and hartal.
Earlier in the day, Fakhrul inaugurated BNP’s road march towards Chattogram on Kalakchua Khandkar Food Gallery ground in Burichong Upazila of Cumilla at around 10:30 am. The road march ended in Chattogram via Feni and Mirsharai.
The leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies started the road march to press home the party’s one-point demand that includes the resignation of the government and holding the next polls under a neutral government.
Inaugurating the programme, Fakhrul said that prime minister Sheikh Hasina returned home empty-handed from the United States.
“Sheikh Hasina came back from America empty-handed. She put in much effort to cancel the visa policy and get rid of sanctions. They (US) didn't pay heed to it,” he said.
In this situation, he urged the prime minister to step down, handing over power to a non-party neutral government to pave the way for holding the next national election in a credible manner.
The BNP leader alleged that the government is trying to hold another lopsided election by force to cling to power, but people will not let it happen. “We want to exercise our right to franchise this time. You will no longer be allowed to steal votes.”
He warned that people will ensure the fall of the current regime through the ongoing street movement if it does not willingly quit power.
“People know how to remove a dictatorial and usurper government. That's why people are now on the streets,” the BNP leader said.
He called upon the opposition leaders and activists to get ready to occupy the streets with peaceful programmes.
"If we want to live in the future and protect the country, we have no choice but to establish a pro-people government by removing the current regime. “We have to wake up without buying any more time. We must occupy the streets. Let's intensify the movement to topple the government,” Fakhrul told his party colleagues.
He alleged that the government is not allowing critically ill BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for advanced treatment out of political vengeance.