BNP to hold grand rally in Dhaka on 27 July to press home one-point demand
The BNP announced a grand rally in the capital on 27 July to press home their one-point demand for a non-partisan polls-time government.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the party, made the announcement on Saturday while addressing the party's youth rally in the capital.
Besides the BNP, 37 like-minded parties, including the Gonotontro Moncho, 12-party alliance, Nationalist Alliance, Gono Odhikar Porishod (Reza Kibria), LDP, Gono Forum, and Democratic Left Unity Alliance, have also decided to hold grand rallies in Dhaka on the same date separately.
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According to sources, following the 27 July rally in Dhaka, the BNP and their like-minded parties plan to organise successive programmes in the capital.
These upcoming events may include a Dhaka march and a potential "sit-in" programme, marking the final stages of their movement. The "sit-in" programme is likely to be scheduled in Dhaka during either August or September, sources said.
"There will be no election in the country without a non-partisan caretaker government and all political parties are united behind it," said Fakhrul while speaking as the chief guest at the youth rally held at Suhrawardy Udyan.
"The Awami League is a party of cowards. They are afraid to participate in elections under a neutral government," he said.
"The government has assured foreigners that they will conduct free and fair elections. But before the election they are filing cases against BNP leaders and activists to clear the electoral field," he added.
At the Dhaka divisional youth rally jointly organised by Jubo Dal, Swechasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal, Mirza Fakhrul said that there will be no more elections under this government, elections will be held only under the caretaker government.
He said that today all political parties stand united in their rejection of elections conducted under a partisan government. Even the Jatiya Party and Islami Andolan have expressed their belief that a genuinely fair election cannot be achieved under the current administration.
The BNP Secretary General alleged that the government is resorting to tactics such as transferring deputy commissioners and police superintendents to manipulate the system in their favour.
Terming the government as illegitimate, Mirza Fakhrul said, "The government seized power breaching the constitution and stealing votes during the 2014 and 2018 elections."
He said the AL revoked the caretaker government system through the illegal verdict of former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque as they knew they wouldn't win even 10 seats if the elections were held under a caretaker government.
At the rally, family members and relatives of the victims of forced disappearance, murder, and persecution for political reasons spoke out. They demanded justice for their loved ones and called for the government to find the missing persons.
The rally also featured speeches from young voters, who demanded the right to vote.
Before the start of the rally, artists from the Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha energised the BNP activists with their performances on the stage.
The areas surrounding Suhrawardy Udyan, particularly Shahbagh, Ramna Park, Matsya Bhavan, Kakrail intersection, Shilpakala Academy, Press Club-High Court intersection, and Segun Bagicha, witnessed a significant influx of people gathering around the rally.
Consequently, there was a notable slowdown in vehicular movement in these regions.
Law enforcement agencies and police were on high alert throughout the capital, closely monitoring the rally's surroundings. However, BNP leaders alleged police harassment of activists while travelling to Dhaka for the event.
Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP convener Aman Ullah Aman, Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP convener Abdus Salam, Jubo Dal President Sultan Salauddin Tuku, Swechasebak Dal President SM Jilani, Chhatra Dal President Kazi Rawanakul Islam Shravan and other leaders of BNP and its affiliated organisations also spoke at the rally.
