BNP supporters erupt in jubilant celebration at Nayapaltan

After 16 years, BNP activists and supporters at Nayapaltan in the capital celebrated without fear, expressing unrestrained joy.

The scene on Tuesday afternoon at 1pm was one of jubilant celebration – supporters embraced each other, exchanging greetings and shouting with visible excitement. Some even wished each other "Eid Mubarak" as they celebrated their unexpected victory.

From the early hours, processions from various parts of the capital continued to converge on the BNP's Nayapaltan office.

Members of the party's Chhatra Dal, Juba Dal, Mohila Dal, and Krishak Dal were seen greeting each other warmly. As the day progressed, the presence of party supporters grew.

When news broke of Khaleda Zia's release, the crowd erupted in chants of her name. Senior leaders arriving at the party office were greeted with applause and cheers from the supporters.

Abdur Rahim Saikat, former joint secretary of the central Chhatra Dal, expressed his excitement to The Business Standard, saying, "For the first time in 16-17 years, we are able to hold a procession in Nayapaltan without police interference. There are no police around."

Touhidur Rahman Awal, vice president of the central Chhatra Dal, said, "It still feels like a dream that the autocratic Hasina government has fallen. Last night, I even dreamt that Hasina had returned from India."

By 12:30pm, the street in front of the Nayapaltan office was so crowded with activists and supporters that traffic had almost come to a halt. The area was packed with thousands of supporters.

Meanwhile, the body of a student leader who was killed by police gunfire in the capital's Jatrabari area on Monday was brought to Nayapaltan.

Rezaul Amin, a student leader from Jahangirnagar University, said, "I came to the party office to join the victory procession. Today, I arrived in Dhaka without fear; there was no police harassment or threat of arrest on the road. On other days, we were stopped and checked by the police at Aminbazar intersection."

BNP supporters claim that Sheikh Hasina subjected the people to severe oppression over the past 15 years, and today she was forced to flee the country in the face of public protest.

On 18 July, the former chief of Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police, Harun Or Rashid, led a raid on the BNP's Nayapaltan office, closing it down. Following Sheikh Hasina's departure from the country, some party leaders broke into the office after the locks were removed.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other leaders arrived at the central office at around 1pm on Wednesday.

At a press conference following a meeting of the party's Standing Committee at the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office, Mirza Fakhrul called on the President to ask him to form an interim government by the end of Tuesday.

Mirza Fakhrul said, "I firmly insist that a neutral government must be formed within 24 hours. I urge the President to dissolve the current Parliament and form an interim neutral government by 2pm today without delay. Otherwise, the country may face a political vacuum again."

Mirza Fakhrul also mentioned that Khaleda Zia has urged everyone to remain calm and ensure that the victory is not taken away. "She has asked the people to be vigilant so that the victory is not snatched away from them."

When asked when Khaleda Zia would appear in public, the BNP secretary general said, "As you know, Madam is very ill. I saw her last night. She will come before the public whenever she feels fit and well."

Rally at Nayapaltan

The party will organise a rally in front of its Nayapaltan office on Wednesday at 2pm.

Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will virtually address the rally as the chief guest, Vice Chairman Asaduzzaman Ripon said in a press release today.

Other party leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will also speak at the rally. ***