The BNP-led 18-party alliance is drawing up a plan to paralyse Dhaka, pressing home its demand to hold the next general election under a non-party caretaker government (CG). “We will paralyse the capital if the Election Commission (EC) announces the schedule of the 10th parliamentary poll before restoration of the non-party CG provision to the Constitution. Such plans are under our consideration,” BNP standing committee member MK Anwar told The Independent on Friday. The EC is responsible for ensuring a peaceful general election in which all political parties participate. It will be suicidal if the EC announces any poll schedule before settling the feud over the CG issue. “I believe that the EC will refrain from taking such a step,” he added. Ensuring a participatory poll will not be possible without launching a movement on the streets, he said, but hastened to add: “We don’t want people to suffer. I believe there is still time for good sense to prevail on the part of the government.” The last working day of the ninth Parliament will be on October 24. After this, no doors will be open for the Opposition to realise its CG demand. The Speaker, Shirin Sharmin
Chowdhury, has said that according to the decision of the parliament affairs advisory committee, Parliament will run till October 24. No session of the House will take place after that, she added. In this context, amendments to articles 123(3)(kha) and 57 of the Constitution must be brought within this time, Anwar said.
The BNP acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has said that his party will wage a nationwide anti-government campaign, including blocking of roads, waterways and railways after October 25.
He said people have become united and will take to the streets anytime. No election will be allowed under a party management. A tough programme will be announced and preparations are under way, he added.
The BNP will observe the government’s attitude towards the Opposition’s CG demand till October 25. Khaleda Zia will address several public meetings in different parts of the country, including Khulna, Chittagong, Sylhet, as well as in Dhaka, after Eid-ul-Azha, he said. The BNP does not want to launch any movement so that people suffer during Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja, he added.
While talking to this correspondent, Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain said the government’s attitude over CG issue is still negative. Nothing will be achieved without a movement. The BNP will launch a movement if any attempt is made to hold a one-sided election, keeping the nationalist party away, he warned. Discussions on how to paralyse Dhaka are underway. But it will be finalised on the basis of political development, he added.
A grand rally will be organised in the capital at the end of October where the BNP-led 18-party alliance chief Khaleda Zia will announce her party’s next course of agitation, he added. Responding to a query, he said a tough programme, like indefinite hartal, may be announced at the meeting.
The Awami League’s control on members of different law enforcement agencies will slacken after October 24. A plan is being chalked out keeping that in mind, he said.
Moudud Ahmed, another standing committee member of the party, said his party will wage a tough agitation after October 25, so that the government cannot function properly. It will be forced to meet the CG demand, he added.
The Awami League had earlier initiated a similar movement to fulfill its interest, he said.
-With The Independent input
