With the nation apprehending a flare of violence in a high voltage political tension, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has threatened to issue an ultimatum to the government from their March 12 grand rally.
The rally is scheduled to exert pressure on the government for the restoration of the non-party caretaker system that was scrapped through an amendment to the Constitution in June last year.
The rally is scheduled to exert pressure on the government for the restoration of the non-party caretaker system that was scrapped through an amendment to the Constitution in June last year.
After the meeting with Begum Zia on Wednesday night, alliance leaders said they have agreed upon issuing an ultimatum to the government to revive the caretaker government system. They have also discussed expansion of the four-party alliance making way for like-minded parties to wage a combined movement against the “neo-autocracy‘.
After her meeting with the four-party alliance leaders, Khaleda Zia held a meeting with other like-minded political parties, including JAGPA, NPP, NDP, LDP, Labour Party, Islamic Party and Muslim League.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia earlier made it clear that the March 12 ‘Dhaka Cholo’ march will be a warning to the government and the opposition alliance would opt for the future course of action if the ruling party fails to go by her demands.
Khaleda asked the government to refrain from obstructing the Dhaka Cholo march or announcing any counter programme on that very day. She warned that the government will have to shoulder the responsibility for any untoward incidents.
AL sees it a conspiracy
However, Awami League and its coalition partners have launched a massive campaign identifying the opposition Dhaka March programme as a move to obstruct the trial of war crimes that the government have initiated.
Winding up a discussion in Parliament, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday called upon all sections of people, particularly the freedom fighters and the young generation, to build up a resistance against “those who are trying to protect the anti-liberation elements don’t believe in the independence of the country.”
Skeikh Hasina on an earlier occasion also expressed her apprehension that BNP was conspiring to stage ‘genocide’ on March 12 taking the path of the Pakistani occupation army to save the Rajakars.
The ruling Awami League is also fortifying its camp with intensified organisational activities and directives to its units to tackle opposition’s “anarchy” on March 12.
The AL’s associate bodies including Chhatra League, Jubo League, Sechchhasebok League, Krishak League,Tanti League, Juba Mahila League and Awami Ainjibi Parishad—are also asked to take preparation from union level units to the central level.
Especially, party units in the capital city Dhaka and its surrounding districts have been brought under the direct command of the high-ups in the wake of opposition Dhaka Cholo programme
The AL chief held separate meetings with the leaders of the party’s central committee and associate bodies, and asked them to supervise the organisational activities round the clock.
To make sure participation of all partners of her grand alliance, Sheikh Hasina also asked HM Ershad to ensure JP’s participation in March 9 human chain in all districts, March 11 programme in Dhaka and also in the 14-party grand rally on March 14.
Urging the BNP to withdraw its programme, AL acting General Secretary Mahbub- ul-Alam Hanif asked BNP to immediately withdraw the March 12 mass rally, otherwise, he warned: “people will give you a tough lesson.”
The ruling party also organised a showdown in the city on March 7 to boost the moral of the party members and show its muscle to the opposition.
Police actions
In line with political campaign, police have launched crackdown on the opposition BNP-Jamaat activists in the wake of the BNP’s much-publicised ‘Dhaka Cholo’ programme on March 12.
Police continues to conduct raids in different parts of the city based on reports of intelligence agencies about BNP’s preparation to mobilize huge people in the capital.
In Dhaka city, law-enforcing agencies, including police and RAB, have been conducting raids on various residential hotels, student dormitories, messes and other places of accommodation to find out if political workers have taken shelter there for attending the March 12 grand rally.
“Vigilance has been beefed up at those places ahead of the BNP’s grand rally on Mar 12. Various drives have also launched in some areas,” RAB’s legal and media wing director M Sohael told the media.
Police have also asked authorities of hotels and community centres not to rent rooms to opposition workers before or on March 12 without permission of the police administration.
Police already picked up many BNP workers from different parts of city and elsewhere in the country to frustrate the Dhaka Cholo programme. Failing to nab some party leaders, police even picked up their close relatives, BNP alleged.
Opposition chief whip ZainulAbdin Farroque alleged “police is now conducting raids in the residences of the leaders and workers of BNP and other like minded parties with an intention to foil the March 12 Dhaka Cholo programme.
BNP to stay on road
Vowing to make the programme successful, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they would stay on the streets if the hotels are not available for the opposition men.
Meanwhile, two general diaries (GDs) have been filed against BNP Acting Secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Sadeque Hossain Khoka apprehending harm to ministers and people in general during BNP’s Mar 12 grand rally in the capital.
Two pro-Awami League lawyers, Anwar Shahadat Shawon and Sheikh Ali Ahmed, filed the GDs with Ramna and Paltan police stations ahead of the main opposition’s grand rally.
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged the government has launched a negative campaign to foil BNP’s grand rally scheduled for March 12.
“The government has resorted to the old technique of negative campaign. They are trying to foil the rally by spreading that the grand rally would lead to violence and anarchy,” Fakhrul told a press briefing on Wednesday.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed apprehension that the government agents might conduct subversive activities at the BNP March 12 grand rally and put the blame on BNP.
BNP Dhaka city unit convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka also alleged that the government was creating obstacles to his party’s ‘Dhaka Cholo’ programme slated for March 12.
Khoka said the government did not give them permission to hold the grand rally at Paltan Maidan or at Manik Mia Avenue. He said police went far to obstruct renting community centres in the capital or book hotels for the party people for overnight stay.
Khoka said BNP will hold the grand rally in front of the party’s central office at Naya Paltan. “It will be stretched from Madhumita Cinema Hall to PG Hospital and from Nawababpur road to Malibagh which will also be the ever biggest programme of Bangladesh,” he said.
“The March 12 programme would, be absolutely peaceful if the government wants so and if the government makes no provocation” said Jamaat leaders at their joint meeting in the city on Thursday. They asked the party workers of all levels to remain active in making the programme a grand success.
The opposition alliance said they do not want to oust the government through March 12 programme but to make people be informed and aware of the government’s various mischief.
BY : Abdur Rahman Khan.
