BNP to warm up before big rally

The BNP will announce a series of fresh anti-government programmes within the next few days. However, the party is not likely to go for tough agitation at the beginning of this phase of the movement.

The party wants to hold porgrammes like processions, demonstrations, and rallies for a few days to speed up the pace of the movement and mobilise public opinion and support from the local and international communities.

BNP sources said protests will be held at the district level initially. At the final stage of the movement, the party plans to bring leaders and activists to the capital from across the country to hold a massive rally.

The organisation is considering to stage programmes like road march towards Dhaka, long marches or "besiege Dhaka" after wrapping up the protests in districts.

Sources said that the fresh anti-government agitations will be announced soon and demonstrations like mass gatherings and sit-ins may be held.

The party did not fix the date for starting the final phase of the movement as it wants to see the momentum gained from the district-level programmes.

The BNP standing committee met on Tuesday night at the party chairperson's Gulshan office to finalise the anti-government programmes. The party's highest policy-making body drafted an outline for the movement but did not fix the dates for the demonstrations.

BNP leaders said they decided to hold programmes at the district level to mobilise public opinion in favour of the movement. The party will hold demonstrations in 19 large districts.

"We can initially replicate the model of holding divisional rallies like we did from October 12 to December 10 last year," a senior BNP leader told The Daily Star wishing not to be named.

Sources said that the standing committee meeting discussed road marches towards different districts from Dhaka, but almost all the committee members opposed the idea.

The leaders observed that it will not be possible for the party to make such programmes successful without the participation of Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Also, it will be difficult for the other top party leaders to take fellow leaders and activists from Dhaka to other major districts, they added.

The meeting also discussed fresh arrests of BNP men, cancellation of bail of its leaders and the joint declaration of the BNP and Gonotontro Moncho, an alliance of six political parties.

Sources said that the meeting discussed a 35-point draft outline on a joint declaration, put forward by the Gonotontro Moncho, about a simultaneous movement.

"If the Gonotontro Moncho agrees, the joint declaration will be made public," said a BNP leader, adding that no new demand and proposal will be included in the BNP's 10-point demand and state reform proposal.

Leaders said that public opinion has been mobilised in favour of the BNP's proposals as seminars were held across the country and a pamphlet was sent to different foreign missions in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, BNP acting chairman Tarique Raman had a meeting with the party's organising secretaries yesterday.

The meeting, held virtually, decided to stage rallies in 82 ogranisational districts of the party in phases, said sources.