BNP revises movement plan; gives hint of ‘hitting streets’ in Jan
Dhaka: Though Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia repeatedly talked about launching a fresh movement after Eid-ul-Fitr to force the government to hold next polls under a neutral administration, the party is unlikely to come up with street agitations before January next as it wants a political negotiation with Awami League by this time.
Party senior leaders said their party's main focus is now on organising the party rank and file, taking preparations for both the election and movement and mobilising local and international support in favour of their demand for introducing an election-time supportive government system.
They said their party wants to give the government until the December next to come to the negotiation table over holding the 11th parliamentary elections in a credible manner creating a democratic atmosphere.
"Launching any movement right now will only invite serious repressive acts from the government's side which will weaken the party and frustrate the party grassroots further. In fact, we've no preparation and plan to wage any movement this year. Some leaders persuaded our chairperson to take to the streets soon, but she has finally changed her mind considering the reality," said a BNP standing committee member wishing anonymity.
He, however, said their party will try to remain active with some peaceful programmes like rally, demonstration and human chain on public issues. "If the government doesn't change its stance on holding the election under a partisan administration, we'll take to the streets from early next year."
A leader close to the BNP chief said Khaleda Zia has a plan to go to the UK on July 7 for her medical treatment and meet her son and party second-in-command Tarique Rahman who has been living there since 2008. "The schedule may be deferred by a week and she's likely to stay there for nearly 15 days."
After returning home, the BNP leader said Khaleda Zia will take opinions of different professional bodies and election experts on her party's proposal on the supportive government before presenting it before the nation by mid-August.
Later, she is likely to hold rallies in different divisional cities and district towns to drum up public support in favour of the proposal.
Besides, Khaleda Zia has formed a team comprising party senior leaders and former pro-BNP diplomats and bureaucrats and professionals to keep in touch with influential countries, including India, to mount pressure on the government to hold a fair and inclusive election.
The party policymakers said their party will join the dialogue with the Election Commission scheduled to begin at the end of this month and place their party's different proposal before it.
BNP will also keep a sharp eye on countrywide voter list updating programme to be started on July 25 next so that eligible party supporters are properly enrolled.
Contacted, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf said, "We've no plan to go for waging a tougher movement anytime soon as we're now giving the highest focus on reorganising the party for the next election.
He said their party chairperson will unveil the supportive government formula on her return from the UK, and then she and other senior leaders will carry out mass contact and hold rallies across the country to muster public opinions in favour of it.
Mosharraf said they want the government to reach an understating through talks over holding a fair and acceptable general election. "But, BNP have no other alternative to launching a movement if the government doesn't engage in talks."
Another BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said they will take some peaceful programmes alongside strengthening the party's organisational capacity.
BNP vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman said people want BNP to launch an oust-government movement right now. "But' we're still giving the government time with a hope that good sense will prevail upon it."
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said they are giving the government enough time and space to change its stance on next general election. "We'll be there on the streets at the right time if the government remains adamant to holding the election under it."