From its much-hyped rally in Dhaka on Wednesday, the opposition BNP declared march programs for July 18 and 19 to force the government resign and establish a non-partisan administration to oversee the next general election.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement when he also demanded release of all “political prisoners,” including party Chairperson Khaleda Zia and withdrawal of “false” cases.
He added that their movement aims at establishing the people's economic emancipation, voting rights and restoring democracy through reforms to the Constitution.
On December 19 last year, the BNP announced a 27-point State reform outline, proposing massive reforms in the Constitution, judicial and administrative levels if it returned to power.
Thousands of party activists of the party and its affiliates joined the rally organized by the BNP's Dhaka South and North units in front of its Naya Paltan central office on Wednesday afternoon. The event formally began around 1:55pm with a recitation from the holy Quran.
Around 100,000 people attended the rally, party leaders and supporters said.
A former state minister, Fakhrul said: “If the demand is not accepted, the people will remove the government from power with a strict program.”
On July 18, there will be a march from Gabtoli to Jatrabari in Dhaka from 10am to 4pm.
The next day, the party will hold a march from 10am to 4pm from Abdullahpur to Bahadur Shah Park in Old Dhaka.
Packed crowd and tight security
Activists and leaders of the BNP and its associated organizations began gathering at Naya Paltan Wednesday morning. By 12 noon, the venue was full, and the crowd had spilled out onto the surrounding roads.
Police ramped up security at the entry points of the capital on Wednesday due to the rallies by BNP and Awami League, carrying out extensive searches in Savar. This led to suffering for many commuters, but police insisted the security measures were necessary considering the size of the two political events.
No violence was reported throughout the day, however, BNP claimed some of its leaders were detained on the way to the rally.
Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal General Secretary Shahidul Islam Babul alleged that 13 leaders of Chhatra Dal's district units, including General Secretary of Faridpur District Chhatra Dal Tanjimul Hasan Kayes, were detained on their way to attend the rally in Dhaka.
"The police arrested them and took them to South Keraniganj police station,” he said.
On the other hand, on the way from Madaripur, two buses carrying BNP leaders were taken to Padma Bridge South police station.
Quader Gani Chowdhury, a member of the BNP's media cell, told various media: "Due to the BNP's rally, the police have blocked the road from Savar's Boliarpur to Dhaka. Thousands of vehicles are stuck on the Dhaka-Aricha highway. People are entering Dhaka on foot from Savar.”
The public is suffering, he said.
Dipak Chandra Saha, officer-in-charge (OC) of Savar model police station, said they had received information that the two militants who had escaped from the court premises in Dhaka may use the political events as cover to leave the capital, so check posts were set up at Aminbazar, Birulia, and Ashulia, and traffic was restricted at other points.
No election under current government
During the rally at Naya Paltan, BNP leaders announced that there will be no election under the current government, they would prevent it even with blood.
BNP Vice Chairman AZM Zahid Hossain said: “People from all walks of life have taken to the streets today to demand elections under a non-partisan government.”
Another Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu said: "The presence of BNP leaders and workers in today's rally has proved that the farewell bell has rung for the Awami League government."
He claimed that 17 leaders and activists have been killed since the start of the ongoing anti-government movement program of BNP.
Addressing the Awami League, Bulu said: "You will be judged for this."
BNP Chairperson's adviser and former opposition chief whip Zainul Abedin Faruk said: "There will be no election under this government. Prime minister, you must go.”
Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu said the Awami League had turned the country into a “kingdom of plunder.”
"This government cannot be kept in power anymore."Ershad could not stay, neither can you (PM Hasina)," he added.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said: “We want a change of power through elections, but we don't want that election to be in your hands. You (Sheikh Hasina) have swallowed the election again and again. That opportunity will not be given like in 2014 and 2018."
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the Awami League is once again planning to steal votes.
“They are promoting their following faithful officers. They are putting their own people in all the important places. Judiciary is partisanship. After all, they have undertaken the project of stealing votes. All projects of stealing votes will be crushed,” he said.
He also asked why foreign election observers were coming to the country if previous elections were free, fair, and impartial?
Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas claimed there would be no people at Awami League gatherings in the future.
He said: “Today, there was a tsunami in Dhaka. With just two days' notice, we reached this grand gathering at Naya Paltan. They have obstructed the way, yet the youth have rushed to this grand gathering.”
The 12-party alliance, Gana Adhikar Parishad, and the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) were among those who arranged events in solidarity with the BNP.
