BNP-Jamaat plan big showdown in Dhaka Wednesday
The programmes are also a part of the anti-government movement of opposition parties, demanding an immediate resignation of the government and a free-fair national election
The BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and other opposition parties will observe "Democracy Killing Day" – the day when a one-party system was established in the country back in 1975 through the fourth amendment to the Constitution – through nationwide rallies on Wednesday.
The programmes are also a part of their ongoing movement demanding the resignation of the incumbent government and a free-fair national election under a non-partisan caretaker government.
Although the events will be held in all metropolitan cities and districts, the opposition parties will make all-out efforts to show their strength in Dhaka.
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The main opposition BNP expects a large number of participants in front of its central office in the capital. To make this happen, the BNP, in an application on 19 January, sought permission and cooperation from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a statement yesterday, called for an all-out effort from the supporters, activists and leaders of the party and its allies to make Wednesday's rallies a success.
Terming the incumbent government a corrupt, fascist, anti-people government, he reiterated their 10-point demand and urged all to take to the streets on the day.
"We are all set to make a massive showdown in the upcoming programme in a peaceful way. People will take to the streets against the government," Syed Emran Saleh Prince, acting office secretary of BNP, told TBS.
The opposition parties want to reach a peak of the simultaneous movement before the fasting month of Ramadan, to be started in late March.
To this end, the seven-party alliance Ganatantra Manch and the BNP Like-Minded Alliance, the Left Democratic Alliance will stage their demonstrations in front of the National Press Club in the capital on the day while the Twelve-Party Alliance will hold its programme in the Bijaynagar Water Tank area, and the Liberal Democratic Party in the Panthapath area.
The Gano Forum, led by Mostafa Mohsin Montu, along with the Bangladesh People's Party will also hold their protest programmes in the capital.
Jamaat, Gano Adhikar Parishad announce separate programmes
"On 25 January, we will hold programmes to protest the formation of the Bakshal and the establishment of a one-party state system [in 1975]. This is our unique programme," Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Publicity Secretary Matiur Rahman Akand told TBS.
"Jamaat-e-Islami is a party capable of moving alone. We need not depend on the BNP."
Criticising the BNP activities, he said that the party is basically carrying out its own programmes in the name of simultaneous movement. "Even the BNP is announcing programmes without coordination with other parties," he added.
Gano Adhikar Parishad leader and former Ducsu vice-president Nurul Haq Noor also expressed his dissatisfaction with the BNP activities. "BNP has been leading the simultaneous movement without proper coordination. Other parties struggle to gain momentum in their protests, as a consequence," he told TBS.
The BNP should carry out this simultaneous program in coordination with all the parties, he suggested.
Regarding Wednesday's programme, Media Coordinator of the Gano Adhikar Parishad Abu Hanif said, "We also have a separate programme on the day. It is not even part of the Ganatantra Mach."
