Amid speculations on whether BNP will take part in the 11th general election, the party has unveiled its plans for the run-up to the polls while announcing a number of demands and future visions for the country if it returns to power.
At a rally in Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan on Sunday, top BNP leaders urged the people to get united to oust the incumbent “undemocratic government” to ensure a free and fair election under a neutral administration.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who presided over the rally, while addressing the gathering declared a seven-point charter of demands and shared 12 visions the party plans to implement if they come back to power.
To press home the demands, he announced that BNP will hold rallies in all districts across the country on October 3 and submit a memorandum to the deputy commissioners of the districts.
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BNP leaders and activists at the party's rally in Suhrawardy Udyan grounds in Dhaka on September 30, 2018 | Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
The party will also hold rallies in all divisional cities and other major metropolitans the next day, October 4, and submit another memorandum to the divisional commissioners, Fakhrul said.
He urged party leaders and activists to work together with the people to restore democracy.
The major among the seven demands are withdrawal of the “false cases” against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her unconditional release from jail and formation of the polls-time government before the election schedule is announced.
The other demands include dissolving the current parliament and the government, creating a level-playing field by withdrawing all political cases and releasing all political prisoners, reconstitution of the Election Commission, deploying the army with magisterial power and discarding electronic voting machines during the polls.
The last demand came up with many points, which included withdrawal of all cases against the students involved in the quota reform and road safety movements, and no harassment and release of all people, including journalists, who were arrested after expressing their views.
However, five of these demands are coincidentally similar to those made by the Jatiya Oikya Prokriya – a recently formed alliance led by AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury’s Juktofront and Dr Kamal Hossain’s Gono Forum.
Implementation of visions if BNP returns to power
BNP leaders on Sunday said that, if voted to power through the upcoming national polls, the party would not pursue the politics of vengeance and would establish democracy and good governance based on their 12 visions for the country.
They said that any separatist or terrorist organization will not be allowed to use Bangladesh's territory to carry out their criminal activities.
BNP also plans to ensure complete freedom of judiciary and media, and make the Anti-Corruption Commission free of political influence. Modernization and strengthening of the armed forces is also among its visions.
The visions also include a “friendship with all, enmity with none” policy meant for other countries, and formation of a national unity to resolve political enmities.
‘Retaliation if attacked’
Addressing the rally, BNP’s National Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said that realizing demands from the government required occupation of the streets.
“The current government have lost its acceptability in the international arena. We must occupy the streets together [to oust the government]. Otherwise, our party chairperson's release is not possible… bringing Tarique Rahman will not be possible,” he said.
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Another Standing Committee member, Moudud Ahmed said that BNP would only retaliate if its peaceful events were attacked.
“BNP will not sit idle at home. We will organize rallies and events even without permission in future if needed,” he added.
BNP leaders Moudud Ahmed and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir having a conversation on stage during the party's rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on September 30, 2018 | Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
Some BNP activists were allegedly detained from the rally venue on Sunday. However, the Dhaka Tribune could not independently confirm the allegations.
The rally at Suhrawardy Udyan was held between 2pm and 6pm. Though Khaleda Zia is in jail since February 8 in a corruption case, the party named her as the rally’s chief guest. A chair was also left empty for her on stage to mark her absence.
Thousands of BNP leaders and activists had attended the rally. A huge number of law enforcement officials were also deployed in and around Suhrawardy Udyan to maintain law and order.
On Saturday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police had permitted BNP to hold the rally there under 22 conditions, which included not using any provocative words and refraining from carrying any sticks, large banners and creating any barriers to public life.
