BNP continues talks with more parties to devise anti-govt movement

BNP and 'Ganatantra Mancha' on Tuesday reached a consensus to wage a movement together to oust the current Awami League government for holding a credible election and reform the state.

"We have agreed in today's (Tuesday's) meeting that we will carry out a simultaneous movement to create a mass uprising against the present government through greater national unity. We've already started working in this regard," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a dialogue between the leaders of BNP and Ganatantra Mancha at the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office.

During the talks, Fakhrul said they discussed how to reform the state governance system. "We hope we would be able to agree on the matter through more discussions in the days to come."

He said they will have more discussions in the future to complete the process.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) President ASM Abdur Rob said, "Today is a historic day for Bangladesh.  A message will be sent to the entire world that the political parties and the people of Bangladesh have forged a greater national unity today to remove the present autocratic regime, that came to power illegally by stealing votes in the dark of night," Rob said.

Based on the unity, he said they will also repair and reform the state and the constitution, and carry out the movement and join the election together.

Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said they are united to wage a simultaneous anti-government movement. "I can say we're in the movement from today and will remain in it in the future."

Liaison committee to be formed

Fakhrul said a huge enthusiasm has already been created among the people of Bangladesh to unseat the government through a united movement.

"So, we've decided that we'll form a liaison committee based on discussions with the political parties so that it (simultaneous movement) can be launched as early as possible," he said.

The BNP leader said the liaison committee will determine the goals, points, programmes, and the outline of the simultaneous movement.  "We have agreed on the matter."

Chief Coordinator of Gano Samhati Andolan Zonayed Saki said they reached an understanding that the parties, which are going to launch the movement, will not go to any election under the present government.

He said they want the resignation of the Awami League government and the next polls to be held under a neutral interim government.

After the polls, Saki said a qualitative change in the governance of Bangladesh will be brought through constitutional reforms.

Earlier, Fakhrul sat in talks with a delegation of the 'Ganatantra Mancha' at the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office at 11:40am and the meeting lasted for around two hours.

BNP standing Committee members Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku were also present at the meeting.

The Ganatantra Mancha delegations include JSD's Abdur Rob and Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan; Nagorik Oikya's Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Shahidullah Qaiser; Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party's Saiful Haque and Akbar Khan; Gano Samhati Andolan's Zonayed Saki and Abul Hasan Rubel; Gono Odhikar Parishad's Farooq Hasan, Bhasani Onusari Parishad's Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu and Habibur Rahman Riju and Rastra Sangskar Andolon's Imran Imon and Syed Hasib Uddin Hossain.

About the absence of the top leaders of the Gono Odhikar Parishad, the Ganatantra Mancha leaders said its convener Reza Kibria was staying abroad and member secretary Nurul Haque Nur had a scheduled meeting with an embassy.

On August 8, 'Ganatantra Mancha, a new platform of seven opposition parties, was launched with the objective to oust the government through a united movement.

The components of the alliance are Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob), Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party, Gonosamhati Andolon, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Bhasani Onusari Parishad and Rastra Sangskar Andolon.

This was their first meeting with BNP after the formation of 'Ganatantra Manch'.

As part of BNP's second phase of talks to forge national unity for a united movement, Fakhrul sat with the opposition platform.

BNP began its second phase of dialogue on October 2 to finalise the demands of the planned simultaneous movement.

Earlier, BNP had discussions with 23 parties during its first phase of talks that began on May 24 to work out the outline for launching a united movement to 'restore' democracy and people's voting rights.