By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which has been out of energy for 14 years, is holding a large rally at Golapbagh floor as we speak, and hundreds of BNP employees and supporters have gathered in a present of energy forward of the overall elections.
According to regulation enforcement sources, a good safety zone has been established throughout the capital, Dhaka, to take care of regulation and order. Police say they’ve created a number of layers of safety across the rally website.
Earlier this week, a conflict broke out between the police and BNP employees in Naya Paltan space, centred across the rally. A person recognized as Mokbul Hossain misplaced his life within the conflict.
Later, a case was filed in opposition to over 1,000 BNP employees, and a number of other senior leaders, together with the celebration’s basic secretary, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, had been arrested. A Dhaka court docket has despatched them to jail in a case of sabotage.
MASSIVE SECURITY DEPLOYED
Around 30,000 regulation enforcement officers, together with members of the Armed Police Battalion, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansar, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, and intelligence personnel from different organisations are on responsibility.
Police and detective sources stated that they’ve been ordered to place an finish to all acts of violence and injury. RAB can be policing the town utilizing a chopper.
“The conditions that were given to the BNP in Sohrawardy Udyan will remain the same. The law enforcement security table will also remain the same. There will be many policemen in uniform and plainclothes working there. Earlier, the same security measures that we had created around Suhrawardy Udyan have been implemented in Golapbagh field as well. We have an adequate police force around the grounds and surrounding areas around the rally,” stated Dhaka Metropolitan Intelligence Police (DB) chief Haroon ur Rashid.
When requested what number of cops are on the bottom, Haroon ur Rashid stated, “Rather than evaluating the numbers, every member of the law enforcement force is on the ground to provide enough security and guarantee that the rally finishes graciously.”
Meanwhile, Farid Uddin, the captain of RAB 10, stated, “The Dhaka Metropolitan Police as well as RAB have taken the necessary precautions to hold a peaceful rally. We have strengthened our security measures considering various field-based hazards.”
“We also want the BNP to finish their rally safely. There are various houses under construction, many buildings around the grounds, different zigzag roads, and several parts of the field have brick pits, which are very dangerous. However, I have planned security measures so that the BNP rally ends without any untoward incidents,” he added.
4,000 troopers of Bangladesh Ansar, a paramilitary group, can even be current on the rally website.
“Around 4,000 Ansar members will be working to secure the area. Prior to this, Ansar members and police officers worked together to maintain law and order. This time, numerous law enforcement organisations are engaged to maintain peace and order,” stated Ansar’s public relations consultant, Zahidul Islam.
TOP LEADERS ARRESTED
“Don’t have any doubts about December 10. There will definitely be a rally in Dhaka on that day,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated on Tuesday in entrance of native leaders and international ambassadors in a resort in Gulshan. He was arrested two days later.
While Mirza Fakhrul was being held on the DB workplace within the capital from Friday morning to midday, the BNP obtained permission for Saturday’s rally. His detention the evening earlier than the rally has additionally been the topic of quite a few calculations and nerve-racking analyses.
Some members of the BNP Standing Committee consider that Mirza Fakhrul was arrested to demoralise celebration leaders and disrupt the rally’s deliberate, coordinated actions.
Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, a member of the BNP’s standing committee, stated that BNP secretary basic Mirza Fakhrul and standing committee member Mirza Abbas had been arrested in an effort to scale back the variety of individuals attending the rally.
“They reasoned that arresting the leaders would reduce the number of people on the street. Their goal is to reduce the number of people,” he stated.
Most members of the BNP’s standing committee consider Mirza Fakhrul is the celebration’s most energetic secretary basic.
‘PEOPLE OF NATION UNITED TODAY’
As Naya Paltan stood alone within the face of police raids final Wednesday, Fakhrul’s political picture grew brighter and extra self-sufficient.
Fakhrul’s political colleague, barrister Zamiruddin Sarkar, a member of the celebration’s standing committee, acknowledged, “The democratic struggle has become more active with the arrest of Mirza Fakhrul. People of the country are united today. He is the best secretary general of the BNP.”
Mirza Fakhrul was delivered to DB workplace on Bailey Road on Thursday evening. BNP media wing member Shayrul Kabir Khan stated Fakhrul was “mentally strong” throughout your complete interval of his detention.
“I got the news through family and lawyers, he [Fakhrul] had breakfast in DB in the morning. Then he went to the court after having a light lunch. From there, he was taken to prison along with Mirza Abbas. He gave great courage to those who were present when he left. He also encouraged them very bravely. He wanted to know about many people,” Shayrul Kabir Khan stated on Friday evening.
According to BNP sources, a celebration inside the celebration and inside the authorities collaborated to calculate Mirza Fakhrul’s arrest. Some have expressed concern {that a} jealous faction inside the celebration could have performed a job in his arrest.
An influential BNP functionary stated Mirza Fakhrul’s energetic and efficient management of the celebration as secretary basic might be evident throughout his time in jail.
Mirza Fakhrul was named Acting General Secretary of the BNP on March 20, 2011. Then, on March 30, 2016, after the Council, he was appointed because the seventh Secretary General. He was appointed Senior Joint Secretary General on the Fifth Conference on December 8, 2009.
Some leaders of political events all in favour of becoming a member of the BNP consider Mirza Fakhrul was on the forefront of the BNP’s giant liberal democratic, progressive part previous to the twelfth National Assembly elections. His arrest will assist the celebration’s proper wing. At the identical time, the spiritual sector stands to profit.
AWAMI LEAGUE ON ALERT
The Awami League, which has been ruling Bangladesh since 2009, has requested all its celebration leaders and employees in Dhaka to be on alert. Similar directions had been issued by affiliated organisations, together with the Jubo League, Chhatra League, and Swechasebak League. Party employees exterior the town of Dhaka have additionally been requested to stay alert.
Abdur Rahman, a praesidium member of the Awami League, stated, “Our leaders and activists have been on alert in the field since Thursday after BNP leaders and activists clashed with the police on Wednesday. As a political party, they cannot spread violence in the name of meetings.”
Many employees of the Awani League had been stationed in entrance of the central celebration workplace on Bangabandhu Avenue, and they’re anticipated to stay there as we speak as nicely. Apart from this, Awami League leaders and activists had been seen in areas together with Dhaka’s entrance, Zero Point, Gulistan, Syedabad, Jatrabari, Kalyanpur, Hatirpool, Jigatla, Russell Square, Dhanmondi, Newmarket, Azimpur, Sadarghat, Sutrapur, Shanir Akhra, and Dholaipar.
Abu Ahmed Mannafi, president of Awami League Dhaka Metropolitan South unit, stated, “From unit to ward, police station to metropolis, Awami League leaders and activists at all levels and affiliated organisations are on alert. The directive came from Friday’s rally and the joint meeting that preceded it. If BNP wants to create anarchy here, it will be dealt with on the streets.”
“Our leaders and activists will keep a watchful guard on the streets,” stated celebration basic secretary Obaidul Quader at a celebration assembly on Friday, reiterating that violence by the BNP might be handled on the streets.
‘TODAY’S RALLY WILL SEND A MESSAGE’
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was the chief visitor at 9 divisional gatherings, however he was arrested on Thursday evening and won’t be current on the Dhaka divisional mass gathering as we speak. One of the members of the celebration’s standing committee, Dr Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, will converse because the chief visitor now.
“Today’s mass gatherings are very important to move Bangladesh on the path of democracy,” BNP Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud stated, including, “We always advocate non-confrontational, democratic expression of opinion. Nine departmental mass meetings were peacefully organised. However, the government attempted to halt the rally in Dhaka. Mirza Fakhrul, our Secretary General, and Mirza Abbas, the leader of the Standing Committee, have both been arrested.”
Mahmud Tuku additional stated that as we speak’s rally will ship a message to the nation that their misplaced rights might be restored.
“A new programme will be launched. This government has completely destroyed the state system. We will present our demands to the entire country,” Mahmud Tuku stated.
Several members of the BNP Standing Committee have acknowledged that the BNP will concern a 10-point demand, together with the resignation of the ruling authorities and the discharge of Khaleda Zia from Saturday’s rally. Standing committee member Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain will current these calls for on the rally. In addition, he’ll announce the brand new programme within the coming days.
The 10-point demand has already been mentioned with the BNP and different opposition events, based on celebration leaders at numerous ranges and opposition political events. These ten calls for had been reached after discussions with opposition events. Among them, a very powerful ones are as follows:
— Constitutionalisation of a caretaker authorities system
— Repeal of the Digital Security Act
— Reduction within the value of electrical energy, gas, and different day by day commodities
— Formation of a fee to stop cash laundering
— Prosecution of victims of disappearances and murders, communal crimes
— Ensuring justice, and permitting state establishments and forces to perform independently
According to some BNP leaders, practically all members of the standing committee will attend the rally on Saturday.
Since it’s a Dhaka divisional meeting, Mirza Fakhrul and Mirza Abbas might be changed by two members if nobody else speaks. Zamiruddin Sarkar, Nazrul Islam Khan, and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury are notables on this regard, they stated.
Although the choice to stipulate the state reforms had already been finalised, the BNP High Command has withdrawn from this resolution, stated celebration leaders.
Tariq Rahman, the performing chairman of BNP, will make this announcement. Among these reforms are:
— Constitution reform fee to repeal the ‘controversial’ modification
— Restoring the electoral system of presidency
— Abolishing the election fee appointment act
— Forming the judicial council
— Forming the executive reform fee
— Forming the media fee to research the killing and torture of journalists
— Appointing the ombudsman in accordance with the Constitution
— Forming the financial reform fee
Furthermore, on May 10, 2017, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia introduced that the celebration would concentrate on “Vision 2030,” which would come with balancing the powers of the President and Prime Minister, establishing an inclusive, non-discriminatory “Rainbow Nation,” and establishing a National Reconciliation Commission.
The define additionally included establishing an higher home within the National Parliament, amending the structure and reintroducing the referendum system, compiling a listing of freedom fighters, guaranteeing accessible well being care, prohibiting using celebration symbols in native authorities elections, prohibiting home and international terrorism in Bangladesh, and decreasing reliance on electrical energy imports.
The BNP regards this define as an election manifesto.
“The outline will be announced later by the party,” stated a member of the standing committee.
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Published On:
Dec 10, 2022
