BNP acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday urged party activists and workers to get ready for the “final match” while BNP Vice Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka warned of “armed resistance” if their scheduled October 25 rally came under attack.
The calls follow Sunday’s warnings issued by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina against the BNP, saying necessary steps would be taken if the main opposition were to hinder the election process.
Mirza Fakhrul, addressing a joint-meeting of BNP’s Dhaka City unit at the Bhasani Auditorium, hinted at the prime minister’s statement that the parliament session could continue after October 24, and asked the government not to betray the people of the country.
He said: “The government has realised that their [Awami League’s] existence will be in danger if they do not remain in power. That’s why they are now saying the parliament session will continue. We want to say it clearly that you have shifted your stance so many times. Do not betray the public at the last moment. If you do so, you will not find an escape route.”
“Right now, our only target is to wage a movement and to make it a success, unity is must.”
“The quarter-finals and the semi-finals are over. We have just seven days for the final match. We have no other options except winning. We have to keep in mind that we have to win this game, otherwise our existence will be at stake,” he said.
The spokesperson of the party alleged that many of the ruling party leaders have already left the country while many have sent their families abroad, fearing a mass upsurge.
Meanwhile, BNP Vice-chairman and former Dhaka city mayor, Sadeque Hossain Khoka asked the party leaders and activists to be prepared to resist any possible attacks on their October 25 rally.
“We want to hold the October 25 rally peacefully. But, we will not sit idly if the rally is foiled, we will give a bitter reply. If Awami League activists attack us, counter attacks will be launched. Everyone should be ready with machetes and axe to resist any ploy to foil our rally,” he said.
AL had previously instructed its activists to come to the streets with “logs and oars” back in October 2006 against the then government, headed by the BNP-led four party alliance. Several people had died in street battle between the rival political parties and which ultimately resulted in imposing state of emergency and an army-backed caretaker government took over.
