BNP has chosen the streets to meet its demand to hold the next parliamentary elections under a non-party caretaker government as the party will not participate in elections if their demands are not met.
The party vowed not to allow elections in the country without a valid non-party caretaker government.
BNP is struggling in national politics after 2006. Party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is not active in politics for long. Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is in London with several cases in Bangladesh. In this situation and in the current context, BNP leaders do not see any way to solve the crisis through dialogue with the government. They retaliated that movement is the only way to the solution meeting their demand of a free and fair election under the caretaker government.
People concerned said although BNP is vocal in demanding elections under a non-party caretaker government, it is cautious in field movement against the Awami League government. This time the plan is drawn up to reach the goal in a slightly different manner. Everything will be resolved through street movement. Keeping that in mind, the leaders and workers of the party are preparing for the movement.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said if the demand of the non-partisan caretaker government is not met, then the government will be ousted through the street movement.
“Now streets are the only solution. If the government does not take initiative if the demands we have made in view of this situation are not met - the only solution is the streets,” he asserted.
Sources said ahead of the 12th parliamentary elections, the ruling Awami League is trying to put pressure on BNP through various strategies. The strategy of forming alternative alliances; especially election-centric ones, creates divisions within BNP and draws the attention of the allies.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary general of BNP, said, BNP does not see signs of resolving the issue through dialogue. So, the party has decided to walk on the path of movement to establish the demands.
“We will establish our demands by movement in the street. There will be a non-party caretaker government for the election. The leaders and activists of the party at all levels are preparing to accept any sacrifice to make the movement successful,” he said.
For the demand of a non-party caretaker government, BNP has already set a path of spontaneous movement and post-election accountability has been finalized.
The party has already held a dialogue with 22 political parties including left and Islamic parties with the aim of simultaneous movement.
According to sources, most of the proposals made by political parties for election and state reform in dialogue with the BNP have been included in the final outline.
Mirza Fakhrul said the standing committee of the party has decided to finalise the outline of the simultaneous movement with other political parties.
“Outline of the movement will be finalised and be published very soon,” he added.
@ This report appeared on the online and print versions of Bangladesh Pratidin on Saturday (September 24) and has been rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan and Golam Rosul.
