Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Khaleda Zia, will kick off her grassroots-level tour from Narsingdi on Sunday with a view to strengthening the ongoing movement for restoration of a non-partisan caretaker government by generating public support for the demand. She will also seek the people’s mandate in favour of candidates of the 18-Party Alliance in the forthcoming general elections, scheduled to be held within January 24, according to party leaders.
The visit is considered the starting point of the formal election campaign of Khaleda Zia as the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance has decided to simultaneously carry out its movement and election campaign.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina has already formally launched her election campaign by seeking votes for the ‘boat’, the election symbol of her party, from different public meetings and rallies.
Both the ruling AL and the opposition BNP are adamant and are sticking to their respective rigid stands over the election-time government.
The government wants to hold the elections in accordance with the amended Constitution. The opposition BNP, on the other hand, has vowed not to take part in the elections without the restoration of the provision of a non-partisan caretaker government to the charter.
BNP vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman said the opposition alliance would organise an “oust-government” movement after the Eid-ul-Azha if the government does not accept its demand for restoration of the CG system.
On the eve of Khaleda Zia’s tour of Narsingdi, secretaries general of the BNP and its allies held a meeting at the party’s headquarters at Naya Paltan in order to make the programme a success.
The Dhaka City unit of the BNP also held a joint meeting at its office at Bhasani auditorium on Friday with Sadeque Hossain Khoka in the chair. The meeting decided to welcome the party’s chairperson, standing along her route, from Naya Paltan to Chittagong Road on Sunday.
The BNP chairperson will start her journey to Narsingdi from her Gulshan residence at 1:00pm. Senior party leaders will accompany her during the visit.
The public meeting will be held at Pourasabha Shishu Park at Basail at 3:00pm, with district BNP president Khairul Kabir Khokan in the chair.
As part of the programme, Khaleda Zia will visit Rangpur on September 15, Rajshahi on September 16, Khulna on September 22, Barisal on September 29, and Sylhet on October 5. She will later address major public meetings in Chittagong and Dhaka after Eid-ul-Azha.
The opposition leader is set to announce the final programme of the opposition alliance for ensuring that their demand is fulfilled.
A senior leader of the BNP said the opposition alliance would announce stronger measures after October 24, the last day of the present government, in case the election is held before 90 days of its tenure, in accordance with the Constitution.
Senior BNP leaders have already visited the Shishu Park, which is the biggest ground in Narsingdi district.
Talking to The Independent, Khairul Kabir Khokan said all necessary preparations have been taken to make the public meeting a success.
“The people of Narsingdi have been eagerly waiting to receive the opposition leaders,” he said.
Khairul Kabir Khokan expressed the hope that five to six lakh people would take part in the public meeting.
The BNP and its allies have erected nearly five thousand gates and billboards on the way to Narsingdi from Dhaka welcoming the opposition leader. Besides, entire Narsingdi has been flooded with banners and festoons to mark the visit of Khaleda Zia to Narsingdi.
Organisers said leaders and activists of the alliance and people from different spheres of life from Narsingdi and its adjacent districts and upazilas including Dhaka, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Kapasia, Kaliganj, Ghorashal, Jamalpur and Narayanganj would take part in the public meeting.
They said massive security measures have been taken in different places, including Narsingdi, centred on the public meeting.
The former prime minister is going to Narsingdi after some 22 years. She visited Narsingdi and addressed a public meeting there last in 1992.
-With The Independent input
