The BNP chief is likely to hold a press conference tomorrow to inform the people about the alliance’s current stance
The opposition BNP-led 18-party alliance is likely to observe hartal or bring out black flag procession on January 29, the inaugural session of 10th parliament, terming it a “democracy killing day.”
The alliance leaders discussed the matter at a meeting last night at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office with Khaleda Zia in the chair.
The BNP chief is likely to hold a press conference tomorrow to inform the people about the alliance’s current stance, said several leaders. This would be Khaleda’s first press meet after the January 5 poll.
Talking to some of the alliance leaders, it was also learnt that the three-time former premier may also call the government to initiate dialogue to resolve the prevailing political stalemate.
At the meeting, the alliance leaders discussed about the programmes the alliance had enforced to thwart the election – the successes and also the wrong steps. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s conditional call for dialogue – breaking up ties with Jamaat-e-Islami and the role of foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka also came up for discussion.
The alliance leaders sat last time on November 19. It enforced series of blockades across the country after the Election Commission had declared the poll schedule on November 25 and boycotted it.
The 18-party alliance postponed the ongoing movement for an indefinite period from yesterday.
“We have successes and failures in the movement. We discussed all these things at the meeting. People did not go to the polling centres on the election day responding to madam’s [Khaleda’s] call. The election was questioned. It is a big success,” Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, president of 18-party ally LDP, told journalists after the meeting.
Abdul Mobin, chairman of Islamic Party, said they had decided to observe hartal on January 29. “Madam [Khaleda] will hold a press conference on Wednesday; or it can be Thursday,” he said.
He also said Khaleda would go to the district headquarters to rejuvenate the grassroots leaders and activists to wage tough movement against the government.
Formerly the four-party alliance, led by Khaleda, joined the first session of ninth parliament on the first day.
At the meeting, an alliance leader raised the question of leaving Jamaat. Quoting Khaleda, he said: “We have alliance with Jamaat. If our vote drops then we will be sufferer. Why it has become a headache for the prime minister?”
Another alliance leader seeking anonymity told the Dhaka Tribune that the government was actually playing with Jamaat and wanted to introduce “divide and rule policy.” He also questioned why the government had not banned Jamaat.
When an alliance leader raised question about the role of the foreign diplomats, Khaleda said they had played their due role.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
