Though BNP leaders are threatening to bounce back with a strong anti-government campaign soon, the party seems to be on back foot as it is unlikely to be able to launch a fresh movement before September next since there has been no headway in their efforts to reorganise the party and thus boost the morale of its upset grassroots-level activists.
The party has already taken some long-term plans to take preparations for a decisive movement by strengthening the party in the next 5-6 months as part of a major overhaul.
By the time, the party is expected to restructure its all the committees, including that of its associate bodies and Dhaka city unit, with active, sincere and dedicated leaders.
The party strategists also have planned to announce political programmes on some specific issues, mainly on public sufferings and national interest, to mobilise public support in favour of their future movement.
“We’re on a movement and we’ll continue it in a peaceful manner. We’re now giving programmes on some specific issues. We’ve already announced to stage a long march towards Teesta Barrage,” BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman told UNB.
He said their party chairpersons also has started sitting with district unit leaders to revamp the party and prepare it for an effective movement by recasting its grassroots level units.
Before launching a decisive movement, Mahbub said Khaleda will also visit some districts and cities to invigorate the party leaders and activists and drum up public support.
“Finally, we’re thinking of waging a strong non-cooperation movement across the country likely in September to force the current regime to quit and hold a fresh election as per the hopes and aspirations of the people….there’ll be a big push.”
Explaining the reason for intensifying the movement in September, the army-officer-turned politician said they want to fix the problems now the party is facing and prepare it for making the movement a success.
The other reasons he cited are the ongoing HSC exams, the upcoming Ramadan, the rainy season. “These are the important issues we need to keep in mind before going for a strong movement.”
But another standing committee member wishing anonymity said they are not going for any tougher movement right now as their party is not prepared for that at all. “We can’t deny that now we have no enough strength to wage any bigger movement. So, we first want to strengthen the party and our alliance partners, and then will initiate the decisive movement.”
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at her meeting with the top leaders of the 19-party alliance on Thursday night elaborately discussed the movement strategies and exhorted them to strengthen their respective parties before launching a strong movement.
Mustafizur Rahman Iran, chairman of Bangladesh Labour Party who attended the meeting, told UNB that the BNP chief has asked them to tidy up their respective parties and strengthen those so that they can wage a successful movement this time.
Another alliance leader preferring anonymity said the BNP chief told them that she does not want to go for any scattered movement like that of the previous one. “Khaleda Zia has told us she is reorganising her party and will not give a call for a decisive movement until BNP and the 19-party can gather enough strength for carrying it out. She asked us to fortify our respective parties.”
BNP joint secretary general M Shahjahan said as part of their movement strategy they are streamlining the party taking some time so that they can launch a strong movement at the right time to force the government to quit.
He said they have taken many long- term plans to tidy up their party and its all associate bodies for making BNP ready for a fruitful oust-government movement.
As part of their plans, he said the party joint secretaries and organising secretaries are holding meetings with one or two district unit leaders every day.
After their meetings, they put forward some recommendations following discussions with the district leaders and send those to the party chairperson who also letter talk to the district leaders every day.
He said Khaleda Zia has so far held meetings with more than 10 district unit leaders and reorganised the existing committees of the districts.
Shahjahan said their party chief will gradually sit with all the district unit BNP leaders and bring necessary changes to the leadership of the existing committees.
He said they also have a plan to form the full-fledged committee of the every party unit through holding council to bring dynamism in it and establish democracy within the party.
Besides, he said, the party senior leaders will visit different districts to rejuvenate the grassroots BNP men and resolve the conflicts and misunderstandings among the party leaders and activists. “We’re doing all these things in a bid to make the party stronger and wage an irresistible movement to dislodge this government.”
Source: UNBConnect