All seven lawmakers from the opposition BNP on Saturday announced their resignation from the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) before the party placed a 10-point demand at their final divisional rally held at the Golapbagh ground in Dhaka.
Demanding the resignation of the Awami League government, the BNP also announced a simultaneous anti-government movement by taking on board like-minded political parties.
To press home its demands, the party will hold countrywide mass processions on December 24.
Another mass procession will be held on December 13 to denounce the killing of a Swechchasebak Dal activist in police action on December 7, police raid on the BNP central office, arrest of the party's top leaders and attack on its leaders and activists.
"These points are for the restoration of democracy. These are the points of the country's people, not only of the BNP," the party's Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said in his address at the rally.
He said the BNP standing committee had formulated the 10-point charter of demands to free the country from the misrule of the current government.
Also read: BNP announces 10-point demand at Dhaka rally
Gulam Mohammad Siraj, BNP lawmaker from Bogra-6 said: "I submitted my resignation letter to the acting chairman of the party at the standing committee meeting last Friday. We will not go to parliament again."
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneThe other BNP parliamentarians announcing their resignations are Md Zahidur Rahman from Thakurgaon-3, Md Mosharof Hosen from Bogra-4, Md Harunur Rashid from Chapainawabganj-3, Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan from Brahmanbaria-2 and reserved seat MP Rumeen Farhana.
Senior BNP leaders at the rally demanded the release of party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas from jail.
Also Read: BNP leaders Fakhrul, Mirza Abbas arrested over Naya Paltan clash
Fakhrul and Abbas were picked up by detectives from their homes at around 3am on Friday on charges of planning and inciting an attack on law enforcers at Naya Paltan.
Among the BNP's 10 demands are the dissolution of parliament, the provision of a caretaker government in the constitution through an amendment, formation of a new Election Commission under the caretaker government and creating a level-playing field before the election.
The party also demands holding elections through using ballot papers, releasing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and all other political prisoners without any condition and revoking the Digital Security Act and other repressive laws, ensuring freedom of expression and assembly and keeping all essential items within the buying capacity of the people.
Addressing the rally, BNP Standing Committee Member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said people had joined the rally as they wanted to get rid of the fascist misrule of the current regime.
He alleged that the government has been trying to hang on to power by suppressing the opposition through using law enforcers as it has lost ground beneath its feet.
Another BNP Standing Committee Member, Dr Abul Moyeen Khan, said the presence of tens of thousands of people at the rally once again proved it is not possible to suppress the masses by resorting to brutal repressive acts.
UNBHe said the entire world now knows the Awami League holds the day's voting at night, reported UNB.
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the government enforced a hartal in the capital while the ruling party cadres are picketing with arms to stop the mass wave of people towards the rally, but they have miserably failed.
Another Standing Committee Member, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, said their party was not given permission to hold the rally at Naya Paltan on the pretext of public suffering. "But they kept the road shut for five days, causing public sufferings as they hardly care about the people and their problems."
Former Speaker and BNP Standing Committee Member Jamiruddin Sircar said the caretaker government system must be restored to restore the election system and people's voting rights and democracy.
Amanullah Aman, BNP's Dhaka north city unit convener who presided over the rally, said: “We have gathered here peacefully; we will bring down this government peacefully.”
He said that the massive turnout at the ground proves that the government has no right to stay in power even for a moment.
"Sheikh Hasina is scared. Therefore, they (law enforcers) arrested our activists. One of our workers was also killed. Around 5,000 to 6,000 of our leaders and activists have been arrested in Dhaka ahead of this rally,” the BNP leader said.
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneAhead of Saturday's rally, law enforcers had tightened security in and around the capital to maintain law and order.
Police had set up check posts at all entry points of Dhaka. Some 32,000 policemen were deployed in the city.
Alongside police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansar members were also deployed in different parts of the city to avert any untoward incident.
Activists of the Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League were also seen positioning themselves on different city streets to prevent what they called sabotage by BNP men.
BNP supporters were seen heading towards the rally venue on foot as public transport remained off the streets since the morning. Most shops across the city were also found closed.
To strengthen security, a helicopter of the Rapid Action Battalion was seen patrolling over the Golapbagh ground.
Also Read: BNP rally: RAB conducts air patrols in Dhaka
The BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jessore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The party concluded the series with the Dhaka rally after holding similar programs in Chittagong, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barisal, Faridpur, Sylhet, Comilla and Rajshahi.