Trashing Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif’s threat to resist the party’s rallyon 7 November, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday voiced its strong stance on holding the programme at Suhrawardy Udyan under any circumstances.
“Seven November is a great day for the restoration of democracy and protecting independence. The day will be observed. I, on behalf of BNP, want to ask Mr Hanif to foil it if you can. We’ll go ahead with olive branches to mark the day,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
He, however, said the threat to thwart the programme is Hanif’s personal one, not the government’s stance. “I strongly believe the government will allow us to hold the rally, and law enforcers will give us permission. We’re also getting positive signals from them.”
The BNP leader said their chairperson Khaleda Zia will attend their planned rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on November 7 marking the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
He also said they have already taken necessary preparations for properly and peacefully holding the rally as there will be a huge public gathering in it.
On Monday, Hanif at a discussion in the city said their party will not allow BNP to observe its 7 November programmes as thousands of members of army had been killed on the day in the name of so-called revolt by soldiers.
On 20 October, BNP announced a 10-day programme, including holding a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on 7 November, to observe what it says ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’.
Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians on 7 November 1975 jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the path for Zia to come to power.
While BNP and its alliances celebrate 7 November as the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of ‘killing of freedom fighters’, while Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) observes it as the day of civil-military revolution.
Source: Prothom Alo
