As part of a fresh programme of the ongoing one-point movement, BNP’s Dhaka North and South City units on Friday brought out two separate processions towards Malibagh from Badda and Kamalapur Stadium areas in the capital respectively.
The programme was also meant for mounting pressure on the government to accept the opposition’s one-point demand which includes the resignation of the Awami League government and holding the next general election under a caretaker government.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the Dhaka North city unit’s procession in front of Badda’s Suvastu Tower around 3:30pm.
In a brief address prior to launching the programme, the BNP leader alleged that the government has been trying to suppress the opposition’s movement by resorting to repressive acts and using the judiciary.
He warned that the government will not be able to thwart the movement by any means. “Nothing can suppress us this time.”
Fakhrul urged the government to quit with dignity by handing over power to a non-party neutral government, paving the way for holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government.
He alleged that the Election Commission gave registration to two infamous parties as part of the government’s move to stage another game in the name of election as they did in 2014 and 2018.
The BNP leader warned that the country’s people will not allow the ruling party to play any foul game this time.
Later, Fakhrul together with party leaders and activists brought out a procession toward Malibagh Abul Hotel.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas inaugurated the Dhaka south city unit BNP’s procession in front of Kamalapur Stadium around 3:40pm.
After a brief rally, the BNP leaders and activists took out the procession toward Malibagh Rail Gate.
Braving inclement weather, thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the two processions, carrying banners, festoons and portraits of the party’s top leaders.
Apart from BNP, Ganatantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Ganaforum and People’s Party, Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote, 12-Party Alliance, Labour Party, LDP, NDM and two factions of Gana Odhikar Parishad observed the programme separately at different areas in the capital.
It was the third programme of the opposition’s one-point movement to unseat Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League from power.
On July 12 last, BNP and the like-minded parties announced their one-point movement to realise their demands.
Their demands include the resignation of the current “fascist, authoritarian, people’s vote looter and illegal” Awami League government, dissolution of the existing parliament, formation of the polls-time impartial government and reconstitution of the Election Commission for arranging a free, fair and inclusive election, the release of all political prisoners, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, withdrawal of all falls and ghost cases, including those against Tarique Rahman, and annulment of all false convictions.
In December last year, BNP and like-minded parties and alliances started a simultaneous movement based on their common objective of ousting the present government to pave the way for holding the next election under a non-party neutral government.