The BNP-led 18-Party Alliance would go in for a harsher, non-stop and one-point oust-the-government movement from next week if United Nations (UN) assistant secretary general for political affairs Oscar Fernández-Taranco’s initiatives for an inclusive parliamentary polls under a non-partisan management go in vain, according to party insiders.“We believe that Taranco has been sent to Bangladesh as a mediator to encourage ‘dialogue and conditions’ conducive to the next parliamentary poll. If the UN’s initiatives go in vain, we would go for a non-stop and vigorous movement from next week,” said a standing committee member of the party.
Rank and file of the 18-Party Alliance will take to the street to make the oust-government movement a success, he added.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will coordinate the movement and she has already asked leaders of the 18-Party Alliance to remain prepared to carry out the movement till the government is forced to step down, Mahbubur Rahman, a standing committee member of the party, told The Independent.
“We’re taking stock of the situation. We’re waiting for the government’s response to the visiting UN envoy to Bangladesh ahead of the next general election,” he said, adding that the topple-the-government movement would be enforced if the diplomatic initiatives fail to bear fruits.
Responding to a query, Rahman said, “We’re seeking diplomatic initiatives- instead of any interference- so that the next national poll could be held in a free and fair manner under a non-party poll-time management.” He also said that the people would launch a mass movement if the government does not meet the opposition’s demand for a poll-time non-party administration.
Another leader of the party said, as part of the programme, BNP-led 18-Party Alliance will lay seize to Election Commission offices across the country on December 13. The 18-Party will relax its anti-government programme from December 14-16 ahead of Martyred Intellectuals’ Day and Victory Day. Apart from this, the 18-Party Alliance, led by its chief Khaleda Zia, will go for a mass sit-in programme in the capital to meet its demand for election under a non-party poll-time interim management.
Ahmed Azam Khan, adviser to Khaleda Zia said his party chief has to launch a harsher anti-government programme to realise the demand for election under a non-party poll-time administration.
Jatiya Gantantrik Party chief Shafiul Alam Prodhan said the country and its people will plunge into a deep crisis if the initiatives of the visiting UN envoy fail to come up with any result. “Our stance is very clear. The 18-Party Alliance will never participate in any election under Sheikh Hasina. If the government doesn’t budge from its current position, there is no alternative but to go for a one-point topple-the-government movement,” he added.
When asked about the mass-sit-in programme, Prodhan said all sorts of anti-government campaign have been designed by the party’s highest policy-making body as well as its alliance partners. “Our alliance chief Khaleda Zia will take steps to make the movement a success,” he added.
-With The Independent input
