The adamance of both the Awami League and the BNP about holding their own set of January 5 programmes in the capital city brings back bitter memories.
Last year, both parties announced rallies at the same venue – the historic Suhrawardy Udyan – for this day, which the BNP calls “Democracy Killing Day” and the Awami League calls “Democracy Protection Day.”
Both want to observe the anniversary of the January 5, 2014 national polls, which the BNP boycotted after having failed to prevent the Awami League from holding despite months of violent street protests, eventually giving the latter a free run and throwing itself out of parliament for the first time in two and a half decades.
Last year, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) denied both parties permission to hold any kind of political programmes in the capital city.
After both parties announced similar coinciding programmes at the same venue again this year, the DMP was considering the options when this story went to press.
Although the DMP has yet to make anything publicly official, Dhaka police chief has already said that neither of the parties would be allowed to hold their programmes as there are chances of chaos.
The BNP yesterday said that they were ready to hold their rally in front of its headquarters in Nayapaltan if they did not get Suhrawardy Udyan.
The Awami League on the other hand said it could gather in front its own headquarters at Bangabandhu Avenue and 17 other places in the capital city if Suhrawardy was ruled out.
Last year, when the two parties decided to stick to their decisions and hold their programmes, nobody knew what they were in for. At first law enforcers, saying there were security concerns, prevented BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from coming out of her Gulshan office and take part in a rescheduled rally at Nayapaltan.
In protest, Khaleda decided to stay in her office unless things changed and announced an indefinite transport blockade. That continued to for three months during which Khaleda did not come out of her Gulshan office for not even once.
In the meantime, violence gripped the country; buses, trucks and other vehicles were firebombed and vandalised in which living beings were burned to death. At least 150 people were killed in three months.
This year, however, things are appearing a little different – at least that is the idea the Dhaka Tribune has got by talking to businessmen and transport sector stakeholders who have been among the worst sufferers during last year’s violence.
A year ago, the January 5 commotion brought an end to the state of political hibernation for the BNP which the party went into after the election boycott.
This year, however, the day comes at a time when the political arena is nice and warmed up after the first ever partisan municipality polls. The BNP contested with the local body polls its electoral symbol and this is thought to have brought back participatory democracy in the country.
Footballer turned businessman Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of the Exporters’ Association of Bangladesh, said that they are not apprehending any political instability again.
“The country’s political scenario has been stable for the last few months. We believe that this will continue,” he said.
Khandakar Enayetullah, secretary general of Dhaka Bus Owners’ Association, said: “We do not want any violence, any crises, any untoward situations or any barricades on the roads. We want to see a peaceful Bangladesh.”
He also thinks that the BNP does not have the organisational strength to lodge another intense street movement. “The BNP has already got isolated from the country because of the violent nature of its last year’s movement.”