The BNP is looking for a solution to force the government to fulfill its demand for elections under a non-partisan government by remaining on the streets.
To achieve the goal, programs will be continued on the streets for 12 consecutive days starting from today. The policymakers of the party said that there is no opportunity to retreat to any attack cases and obstacles. Their backs are against the wall. A public rally will be held in the capital on October 18. A strict program may be announced from this gathering.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam said that the movement to restore democracy and voting rights will continue to increase. They are agitating for the resignation of the government, annulment of parliament, and one round of elections under a non-partisan government. The movement will continue until this demand is implemented.
As the government has gained experience in countering agitations, we have also gained experience in dealing with attacks and disruptions. We have the support of the people of the country as well as all over the world with this democratic peaceful movement. This time, they will provide whatever programs are necessary to force the government to meet the demands, he said.
Leaders from BNP said that this continuous program will begin with a teachers' rally today and end with a public meeting in Dhaka on October 18. Apart from this, BNP will hold a rally meeting in districts and cities including Dhaka on October 9, a hunger strike on October 14, a student convention in Dhaka on October 12, and a youth convention on October 16 to demand the release of the Chairperson Khaleda Zia and treatment abroad.
Along with BNP, the participants of the simultaneous movement will also hold these programs. They say that if the demands are not met in the peaceful program, a more strict program will be given.
Jubo Dal President Sultan Salahuddin Tuku said, under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, the movement for the right to vote is going on. The pace of the movement will increase day by day until the demands are met. I will stay on the streets until victory, in sha Allah.
According to sources, the Election Commission (EC) may announce the election schedule at the end of October or in November. In this case, the end of October and the month of November have been targeted to force the government to collect the demands. They will call on the government to accept the demands through a peaceful program with massive public participation.
If the government does not do that and follows the path of repression, this time the BNP will not back down. They will be prepared to do whatever it takes to resist the program of the movement. In this case, the party expects the foreign pressure to increase.
BNP is planning a sit-in program or encirclement in front of the constitutional institutions from the October 18 rally to the last week of the month. Which can start with the secretariat. After that, the program of encircling Parliament, Election Commission, Bangabhaban, and Ganabhaban can come.
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the movement to restore voting rights is going on with the people. The demands of a neutral government during the election period will be met through street protests.
(The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on October 7 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)
