BNP ‘cautious’ of movements on 28 Oct onwards

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is planning to move cautiously in its next course of action from its 28 October rally onwards. The party does not want to commit any mistake at this stage of movement.

Sources said the party wants to take the movement to fruition through peaceful means.

Alongside a cautious move over the next programmes, the BNP policymakers are also keeping an eye on the like-minded parties which are waging simultaneous movement. BNP has information that the government had lured several opposition parties to take part in the next general election.

Sources said BNP has increased communication with the like-minded parties sensing such a move by the government. BNP is also seeking proposals and suggestions about the future movement from these parties.

Informed sources of BNP said in a recent meeting with the alliance leaders, BNP hinted at the like-minded parties that the government might give them bait to join the election. BNP’s acting chairperson Tarique Rahman held a virtual meeting with the leaders of ’12-party alliance’ two weeks ago.

At one point of the meeting, Tarique Rahman purposefully brought the issue of consequence of betraying the people.

A leader present at that meeting said the BNP leader discussed why a person gets involved in politics and what final wish a politician can have.

He mentioned that only a handful of people participated in the Janaza (the last rite) of experienced politician and former BNP lawmaker Ukil Abdus Sattar.

By invoking this, Tarique Rahman wanted to remind the alliance leaders that the love of people is the ultimate goal of a politician. Going against the will of people due to any greed or bait can never bode anything well for a politician.

It can be mentioned that Ukil Abdus Sattar was BNP’s member of parliament from Brahmanbaria-2. As per the party’s decision, Sattar resigned from the parliament alongside six other BNP lawmakers. But he later resigned from the post of BNP chairperson’s advisory council member and took part in the by-election from Brahmanbaria-2 constituency. BNP later expelled him. Sattar won the by-election on 1 February. He died on 29 September.

Bangladesh Kalyan Party’s chairman and one of the top leaders of 12-party alliance Syed Muhammad Ibrahim confirmed the issue was discussed during the meeting. He told Prothom Alo that he had heard about such proposals by the government and such practice is not unheard of in the politics of the subcontinent.

Syed Ibrahim, however, said he has not noticed such a thing here.
It has been learnt that the BNP and its allies are fully focused on the party’s rally on 28 October. That party’s senior leaders are holding preparatory meetings with districts and city units to ensure a massive gathering. The party leaders do not want to take into consideration the risk of arrest, attack or any intimidation.

At least seven top and mid-ranked BNP leaders said the party focuses on holding a grand rally with massive attendance. The party wants to create a situation of non-violent mass upsurge through gathering a large number of people. The party also aims to win the confidence of western world that is instrumental in bringing a political change in the country.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a press briefing yesterday said the party’s movement is heading towards the ultimate goal. No intimidation, arrest or sentencing BNP men can obstruct their victory.