BNP in second phase of movement

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been successful in holding its all divisional rallies peacefully, following a flurry of twists and incidents in the political arena.

The BNP parliamentarians have declared their resignation from the legislature in the last divisional rally in Dhaka on Saturday. The party, at the same time, has unveiled a 10-point charter and vowed to wage a simultaneous movement to press materialise the demands.    

They, as per the 10-point demand, will hold mass processions in all district and divisional cities  on 24 December, simultaneously with all other anti-government political parties. It is expected to add a new dimension to the movement as the highly-publicized simultaneous movement will begin through the mass procession.   

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain addressed the Saturday rally in the Golapbagh sports ground as the chief guest and made the declaration of the simultaneous movement. Tens of thousands of BNP men attended the rally, which formally commenced at 111:00 am and continued until around 4:30 pm. 

Before the mass procession, the BNP will stage demonstrations in all district and divisional cities on 13 December, in protest against the recent police attacks on the party men and arrests of secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee member Mirza Abbas and other BNP men. 

The political arena heated up ahead of the Dhaka rally as a clash took place between the police and the BNP men amid a debate over fixing the rally venue. A leader of Swechchhasebak Dal was killed and scores were injured in the clash. The police also conducted a drive at the BNP headquarters and arrested hundreds of BNP men, including the central leaders, who took refuge there. 

Adding more to the chaos, the detectives lifted BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its standing committee member Mirza Abbas from their respective residences and showed them arrested in a case after hours of grilling.

After phases of negotiations, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) provided permission to hold the rally at the Golapbagh sports ground in Dhaka at the eleventh hour.

Thousands of BNP men rushed to the venue immediately after securing the permission on Friday afternoon. Many of them spent the entire night in the open ground.   

Meanwhile, an environment of fear was created there as the ruling party brought out warm up processions in the city neighborhoods and launched a vigilant guard at different points marking the BNP programme. The BNP, however, managed to complete their mass rally peacefully.   

While addressing the rally, Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain said the mass rally gives a message that it is quite impossible to restore democracy by those who destroyed it. Those who destroyed the economy cannot recover it. Those who destroyed the judiciary cannot make it neutral. Also, those who used the law enforcement agency and took it to immorality cannot control it.    

The senior BNP leader also noted that the people had expressed their decisions through the previous divisional rallies that they no longer want to see the current regime in power. They want the immediate departure of this government. So, it needs to take an initiative to establish peace in the country through the resignation of the 'government of muscle power.’ 

Describing the 10-point charter as ‘demand for restoration of democracy,’ he said, “We, on behalf of the BNP, have formulated the 10 points to safeguard the countrymen from the dictator and fascist government in the coming days. We have taken consent of those who speak against the fascist government.”

The BNP held the series of divisional rallies since 12 October, protesting against the unusual hike in commodity prices and killing of the BNP men as well as demanding the release of its chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and a nonpartisan government for the next general election.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in the nine previous divisional rallies that the second phase of their movement would begin from the Dhaka rally. As he has been sent to jail in a case on Friday, Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain announced the next course of movement from the Dhaka rally on Saturday. 

Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain read out the 10-point charter while addressing the rally. 

The demands are:

1. The current unelected and illegal government has to resign, abolishing the parliament. 

2. A neutral non-party caretaker government has to be constituted in keeping with Section 58 Kha, Ga and Gha added to the constitution in 1996.

3. The caretaker government has to repeal the current illegal election commission and form a new commission which is acceptable to all parties. The new commission would amend the RPO, cancel the EVM system and reintroduce voting through the traditional ballot system as a prerequisite to holding a transparent election.

4. All charges against opposition leaders including Khaleda Zia, human rights activists, journalists and Alems have to be quashed, cases against them be withdrawn and the political prisoners have to be freed immediately.

5. Digital Security Act-2018, Anti-Terrorism Act-2009, Special Power Act-1974 and all other draconian laws must be repealed.

6. The anti-people decision to increase the prices of power, energy, gas, fertilizer, water and every other public service has to be withdrawn. The prices of essential commodities must be brought within people’s purchase power.

7. The commodity market has to be freed from existing corrupt syndicates. Fair wages for working class people in line with inflation have to be ensured, child labour must be stopped and fair prices for agricultural products have to be set.

8. A commission has to be set to identify incidents of money laundering, corruption in banking and financial sectors, power-energy, stock market and all other sectors in state mechanism.

9. All victims of enforced disappearances must be rescued and punishment against perpetrators of incidents of extrajudicial killings has to be meted out. Legal action must be taken against those involved with persecution against religious minorities, attack on their worship places and usurpation of their properties.

10. Law enforcement agencies, administration and judiciary must be freed from government interference so that they can discharge their duties with discipline and professionalism.  

The participating BNP men expressed their support to the 10-point charter raising their hands. Later, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the public supported the demands. “We will hold every movement simultaneously in the coming days with the aim of materializing these 10 points. You will carry forward the movement with patience to say goodbye to this government.”

Standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said it is a clear message that no election will be allowed in Bangladesh without a neutral government. The current occupying government says the constitution is a hindrance. Does a speech about the constitution suit the people who steal votes keeping the voters away. All the people are in favor of a caretaker government and they will establish it even if it requires blood shedding.  

About the public suffering, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, another standing committee member, placed a question as to who caused the suffering by blocking the Naya Paltan roads for the last five days. 

Amanullah Aman, the convener of BNP’s Dhaka north unit, presided over the rally where other standing committee members and senior leaders also spoke. 

The BNP men started converging at the Golapbagh ground immediately after receiving approval from the DMP on Friday afternoon. The vicinity was abuzz with slogans. The BNP men carried placards emblazoned with various slogans and flew balloons. 

The rally formally began at 11:00 am, but the ground and adjacent roads were packed to the brim with the BNP men from the morning. 

Extensive security measures were adopted in Golapbagh and other spots of the capital. The law enforcement agencies, including the police and RAB, were stationed in Sayedabad bus stand and other places around the rally, with heavy and armored vehicles. Also, a RAB helicopter was patrolling over the area.