BNP’S ‘final phase’ of movement: Non-stop agitation to start in end-Oct
Later this month, the BNP wants to announce non-stop agitation programmes, which may include blockades and sit-ins, to realise its one-point demand for election under a non-partisan interim government.
The party will hold a rally, likely on October 28, in Dhaka from which its leaders may announce a series of Dhaka-centric programmes, said BNP insiders.
During the Durga Puja next week, there will be no demonstrations on the streets, but there will be a nationwide campaign at the neighbourhood level to drum up support for BNP's demand. The BNP has already formed committees in districts for the mass-contact campaign during the puja.
"The final phase of the movement will be launched after Durga puja…. And at one stage, the government's plan to announce the election schedule will be foiled," Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, a standing committee member of the BNP, told The Daily Star last night.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on October 14 also warned of going for tougher programmes after Durga Puja.
"Release of Khaleda Zia and restoration of democracy are interconnected. Keeping in mind these two demands, fresh programmes will be announced after Durga Puja," he said.
The BNP has scheduled a rally at 2:00pm today in front of the party's Nayapaltan headquarters to press home the two demands. Sources said the party plans to show off its support at the rally and may call for the rally on October 28.
A senior leader wishing not to be named said the non-stop agitation programmes would aim at creating a situation for which the Election Commission would not be able to announce the polls schedule.
"We have been thinking about starting tough programmes at least two weeks prior to the announcement of the election schedule. If the political situation remains tense, it will be tough for the commission to go for the announcement," the leader said.
Over the last few weeks, the BNP had a series of standing committee meetings and meetings with like-minded parties to get their views on the movement strategy.
"The decision to hold a rally in Dhaka on October 27 or 28 is almost final but we did not decide what sort of programmes we will announce from that rally," the BNP leader said, adding that blockade and sit-in programmes could be announced as most senior leaders of the BNP and its like-minded parties were in favour of such programmes.
They said that non-stop programmes may start with either laying siege to or a march towards the Secretariate and then gradually move towards blockade-like programmes.
"Our backs are against the wall. We will start a series of programmes soon and we will not leave the field unchallenged this time," Fakhrul said.
Asked about the agitation programmes, he said they were yet to finalise those.
Although the party had decided to issue an ultimatum to the government, the BNP backtracked as many leaders believed that it was not the time to issue ultimatums.