The party unveils 10-point demand, announces nationwide demos on December 13, 24
Allaying public fears of violence, the BNP yesterday held its Dhaka rally peacefully and unveiled a 10-point demand to “restore democracy”.
The demands include the resignation of the Awami League government and dissolution of parliament.
The event in the capital’s Golapbagh wrapped up the opposition party’s series of rallies that began two and a half months ago.
From the rally, the BNP announced protest rallies across the country for December 13 and processions for December 24.
The processions will be a part of its movement to press home the demand for a non-partisan administration to oversee the next election.
Some like-minded parties including Jamaat-e-Islam too will simultaneously organise programmes on similar demands, sources said.
To garner support for its demands, the BNP at the rally announced all seven lawmakers of the party will resign from parliament, and the resignation letters will be sent to the Speaker today.
Five of the lawmakers were present on the stage while one was abroad and the other was sick.
Although there was no transport strike ahead of the rally, unlike the rallies in other divisional cities, few public transport was seen in the capital and mobile internet in Golapbagh was slowed down.
The venue was confirmed only hours before the event, and BNP supporters alleged many of them were prevented from attending the rally. Despite this, tens of thousands of people made it to the event.
“The ruling party conspired to foil our rally… but you’ve come here defying all odds,” BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said, addressing the rally as the chief guest.
People from different parts of the country attended the event. The crowds, which included many women, spilled over a kilometre on roads adjacent to the venue. Police diverted traffic from those roads.
Mosharraf condemned the arrests of BNP Secretary General Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas, and other leaders and activists.
He denounced what he said were vandalism at the BNP headquarters and the killing of a party worker on Wednesday.
A man died and over 100 others got injured as BNP activists and police clashed in the capital’s Nayapaltan on Wednesday.
Mosharraf then declared the 10-point demand that also included formation of a non-partisan caretaker government in line with sections Kha, Ga and Gha of article 58 that was incorporated in the constitution in 1996; formation of a new Election Commission under the caretaker government; scrapping of convictions of Khaleda Zia and the other opposition leaders and activists; withdrawal of all “false cases” against them; and repeal of the Digital Security Act and other repressive laws.
As he announced the next programmes, the crowds demanded blockade and strike. Mosharraf then paused for a moment and said, “Such programmes would be announced at the right time.”
The rally has been the talk of the country for the last few days. Persisting stalemate over the venue raised doubts as to whether the BNP would be able to hold the event at all. For days, the authorities insisted that the event be organised at Suhrawardy Udyan while the BNP refused to hold it anywhere but Nayapaltan.
Wednesday’s clash, which raised the spectre of violence on the streets, took place amid negotiations between the BNP leaders and Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Fakhrul, Abbas and other top leaders were sent to jail the next day in a case filed over the clash in Nayapaltan.
Even though the DMP gave the party permission to hold the rally on Golapbagh ground on Thursday afternoon, the general public were still concerned over the likelihood of further violence. The largely desolate roads in the city were a reflection of the unease that people felt over the rally.
The capital was almost cut off from the rest of the country as long-haul buses were hardly operational. At various entry points, cars and motorcycles were thoroughly checked. Law enforcers also checked people’s phones.
Addressing the rally, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the law enforcement agencies were used as cadres “to prevent people from joining the rally”.
He said the ruling party spoke of following the constitution. “Such talks of obeying the constitution do not suit them because they assumed power illegally.”
Referring to the resignation of BNP lawmakers, Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said, “They have shown you the path. You [AL] should follow it.”
BNP lawmaker Golam Mohammad Siraj said, “I have been in parliament for three years, but have never heard the ruling party lawmakers speak of people’s sufferings. There are only praises for Sheikh Hasina at the sessions.
“The ruling party has snatched people’s fundamental rights … I’m resigning from this illegal parliament.”
The BNP rallies in different cities were held to protest the price hikes of daily essentials and fuel.
BNP Dhaka City (North) Convener Amanullah Aman chaired the event.
