Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), in its first mass rally of the year, plans to put-up a showdown at Suhrawardi Udyan in the capital tomorrow.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will address the rally and thank people for ‘boycotting’ the 10th general election in support of the BNP stance.The former prime minister will also express her no-confidence in the present government and will challenge its constitutional and democratic legality, party sources said. As part of the programmes, the party will also stage a massive showdown across the country in display of its strength.
Khaleda is expected to announce the next course of action and programmes at the public meeting. She will also make a call to continue movement until the party’s demand for polls under a non-party caretaker government is met, party insiders said.
On January 15, Khaleda announced the Dhaka rally through a press conference. She also asked party activists to hold rallies at upazila, district and divisional cities on January 20 to protest the ‘farcical’ 10th parliamentary election.
Leaders and activists of the party, its front and associate bodies and alliance partners have been asked to make the Dhaka rally a success ensuring overwhelming people’s participation, the sources added.
BNP Naya Paltan office sources said permission has already been sought from the authorities to hold the rally. No feedback has yet been received on this, they said.
Some senior leaders said a large section of supporters have lost their encouragement after the January 5 polls. Leaders and activists, especially those from the grassroots, have become disappointed after the polls, they said..
Khaleda Zia is trying to reorganise her followers through holding the rally so that they can overcome the political setback, the sources said.
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir held a preparatory meeting with leaders of the party’s Dhaka district unit at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office on Friday and asked them to ensure a large participation of supporters in the rally.
Talking to the Independent, several policymakers of the party said Khaleda Zia is now giving top priority to bringing back enthusiasm and encouragement among the party men.
After gaining a certain momentum through holding public meetings across the country, Khaleda Zia will enforce action programmes demanding a fresh election under a non-party caretaker government and the resignation of the government, a BNP policy maker said.
Courtesy of The Independent
