The BNP on Friday staged a show of strength and support in the capital, with two sizable processions to press home the party’s demand for resignation of the government, as part of holding the next election under a non-party caretaker government.
In today's programme of the ongoing one-point movement, BNP’s Dhaka North and South City units brought out two separate processions towards Malibagh - one from Badda and one from Kamalapur Stadium.
Apart from BNP, other like-minded opposition parties and alliances also brought processions in different parts of the capital.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the Dhaka North city unit’s procession in front of Badda’s Suvastu Tower around 3:30pm.
In a brief address prior to launching the programme, the BNP leader alleged that the government has been trying to suppress the opposition’s movement by resorting to repressive acts and using the judiciary.
He warned that the government will not be able to thwart the movement by any means. “Nothing can suppress us this time.”
Fakhrul urged the government to quit with dignity by handing over power to a non-party-neutral government, paving the way for holding the next polls in a credible manner.
Otherwise, the BNP leader warned that they will settle the issue on the streets. “We’ll take back Bangladesh as dreamt by Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia, and the country’s people. Let’s move forward and we won’t stop until we reach our goal of ensuring the election under a neutral caretaker government and the resignation of Hasina.”
He alleged that the Election Commission gave registration to two ‘unknown’ parties as part of the government’s move to stage another game in the name of election as they did in 2014 and 2018.
The BNP leader warned that the country’s people will not allow the ruling party to play any foul game this time.
He said Sheikh Hasina's resignation is their main demand and the voice of this demand must reach Ganobhaban and Bangabhaban.
Later, Fakhrul together with party leaders and activists brought out a procession that ended near the Abul Hotel area in Malibagh after parading a long stretch of roads.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas inaugurated the Dhaka south city unit BNP’s procession in front of Kamalapur Stadium around 3:40pm.
Addressing a brief rally before starting the procession, Abbas alleged that the government has been repressing the BNP leaders and activists heinously to hang onto power.
He alleged that the ruling party activists are attacking the BNP leaders and workers with hammers while the law enforcers are opening fire on them.
The BNP leader said the government has snatched people’s democratic and constitutional rights, including the right to hold meetings and processions and express opinions freely.
Abbas said he came to know that the Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule for the next national election on November 15. “We want to tell the Election Commission that you don’t have the right to hold the election.“
He said their party will not allow any election under the current government. “We’ll definitely put up resistance if they try to hold the polls. There’ll be no election in Bangladesh without a neutral government.”
After the rally, party leaders and activists took out a procession that concluded near the Malibagh Community Centre amid the presence of law enforcers.
Braving inclement weather, thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the two processions, carrying banners, festoons and portraits of the party's top leaders.
Besides, Ganotantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote, 12-party alliance, Labour Party, LDP, NDM and two factions of Gono Odhikar Parishad also brought out separate processions in different areas of the capital to mount pressure on the government to step down and hold the next polls under a non-party administration.
This was the third programme of the opposition's one-point movement with the goal to remove Awami League from power.
On July 12 last, BNP and the like-minded parties announced their one-point movement to realise their demands.
