20-party to toughen blockade, AL to resist
The BNP-led alliance plans to intensify its ongoing blockade to force the government to have dialogue for holding fresh polls, while the ruling Awami League-led combine has started forming committees to resist “the opposition's subversive activities".
The opposition alliance also wants to hold a huge rally in the capital early next week after the last phase of Biswa Ijtema to strengthen its anti-government agitation.
“We plan to hold a rally in the city next week to mark the 79th birth anniversary of Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman. The party will seek permission from Dhaka Metropolitan Police to hold the rally,” a BNP leader close to the BNP chairperson told The Daily Star last night.
If the DMP gives permission, the BNP-led 20-party alliance would relax the countrywide non-stop blockade. Otherwise, it would tighten the blockade further by mobilising its activists and supporters, said the BNP leader.
The BNP would put pressure on the government to let Khaleda Zia move freely and unlock BNP's central office to allow party men in, added the party leader.
On the other hand, the AL-led 14-party grand alliance yesterday instructed its grassroots leaders and activists to form immediately “action committees” across the country, and help police thwart “the opposition's anti-people movement,” said sources in the combine.
The committees would “identify terrorists” in their areas and hand them over to police. It will also assist law enforcers in maintaining law and order.
Commenting on the issue, eminent human rights activist Sultana Kamal, also former adviser to a caretaker government, told BBC Bangla that the formation of such committees would further aggravate the ongoing political conflict.
AL insiders said the party already asked its lawmakers and grassroots leaders to be on the streets and help the local administration foil the opposition's movement.
AL President Sheikh Hasina on Monday asked all to identify bomb attackers, conspirators and those involved in violence, and hand them over to police.
She also directed party's grassroots leaders to resist the violent activities of the BNP-Jamaat men in their areas.
The Daily Star yesterday talked to at least 10 district and thana AL leaders, who said they were asked to take to the streets and remain alert.
Jaglul Haider, lawmaker of Satkhira-4 and president of Shyamnagar thana AL unit, said they would form a committee in a day or two to resist “subversive activities by the BNP-led alliance”.
Meanwhile, AL Presidium Member Kazi Zafarullah ruled out any possibility of the ruling party making compromise with the BNP. Several other AL leaders also echoed his words.
Khaleda announced the blockade for an indefinite period after she failed to come out of her Gulshan office to hold a rally in front of BNP's Nayapaltan office to mark the first anniversary of the January 5 polls as “Democracy Killing Day”.
Law enforcers have kept Khaleda confined to the office since January 3.
Sources at the office, however, said she is maintaining regular contact with party's district and thana leaders through “different channels”.
On Monday night, BNP Vice Chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed hinted that the blockade might be called off if the government allows them to hold a rally in the city.
Wishing anonymity, a senior BNP leader said, “If the government denies us permission, we will have no other alternative but to intensify the ongoing blockade.”
“Our primary objective is to compel the government to have dialogue over a fresh election. Once that happens, we will decide to what extent we can compromise,” said a BNP standing committee member.
Talking to The Daily Star on Monday, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said, “For us, the ongoing movement is like a do-or-die effort.”
In a statement last night, BNP Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed said the opposition's ongoing movement would continue until the government steps down paving the way for a fresh and inclusive election.
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