BNP, allies to return to streets Friday

BNP and like-minded parties would stage a mass procession in the capital after the Friday prayers on 11 August, ending an over a weeklong break from repeated street movements, sources claim.

The party will soon announce new programme. Movement will be strengthened to achieve the one goal of ousting the current government, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters Tuesday at a party meeting at Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office.

Another top leader Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said new protests will be staged and more will come as there is no alternative to ousting this government for ensuring fair elections.

The biggest opposition party staged a huge rally on 28 July, but the sit-ins at Dhaka city entrances the following day saw much lower presence of party members. Police crackdown was a factor behind the dismal show, but party leaders still feel some organisational weakness contributed to the performance.

The party is now seeking to shed the poor image the sit-ins created by addressing the organisational issues and putting up a reinvigorated show. The Dhaka South and North units of BNP would start mass processions from two different points in the capital city, party insiders told TBS.

The party is taking grand preparations for making the upcoming movements successful. It has taken steps to involve the mass people in its movement, and instructed party activists at all levels to ensure this. The party high-ups are also weighing options to unite all the parties and perceptions of the country, except the ruling party, under a single platform.

BNP's once close-ally Jamaat-e-Islami could also take to streets this very month as an individual party, but when needed could also join the movement of BNP and its allies, the Islamist party's Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Md Taher has informed TBS.

"Though we have not held any official meeting with BNP, we are in contact with them and would announce our anti-government demonstrations very soon," he said.

'Reviving morale'

Though some believe rains continuing for days discouraged BNP's new street protest announcements, many grassroot leaders think government crackdown was also a factor that pushed the high-command to back down. Top leaders believe, the lack of programmes since 29 July sit-ins has caused frustration among many partymen.

The high-command would commence a series of protests to revive the morale among low- and mid-ranking leaders as well as activists. Steps would also be taken to ensure the participation of common people for encouraging partymen against all the possible ordeals, insiders said.

Dhaka North City BNP Convener Amanullah Aman said every partymen are in it for themselves as almost every one of them have been named in lawsuits. To save themselves from this misfortune and reclaim voting rights for countrymen they have no option other than helping topple the government, he added.