Dhaka Times Report. The deadline set by BNP and the 18-party alliance ended yesterday on June 10. The first rally of the alliance will be held in front of the central office today. The next program of the movement will be announced from this rally.
BNP wanted to hold a rally at Paltan Maidan but did not get permission there and finally the first rally of the 18-party alliance led by BNP is in front of Nayapaltan central office. The program will begin today at 2 pm on June 11 in the absence of more than two dozen senior leaders including BNP Acting General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. For the last few days, the police have been arguing about the permission of the assembly, but on the morning of June 10, they gave the permission to hold the assembly. After getting the permission, the work of installing the stage and mic started in the afternoon. The overall preparation to make the program successful is almost at the final stage. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Mirza Abbas, Sadek Hossain Khoka and other imprisoned leaders were covered with banners and festoons in Nayapaltan and surrounding areas. Apart from the 18-party alliance, several political parties including the alternative faction led by Professor Badruddoza Chowdhury and various professionals are expected to join today's rally. District leaders and activists have been coming to Dhaka for several days to attend the rally. BNP High Command expects 1.5 million people to attend today's rally.
Khaleda Zia gave an ultimatum of 3 months from the March 12 rally demanding the reinstatement of the caretaker government. If the demand is not accepted by June 10, a strict program will be announced from the June 11 rally. Today's rally will be held on a number of issues, including the return of a non-partisan government, the search for Ilyas Ali and the demand for the release of arrested leaders. BNP has complained that the leaders and activists have been prevented from coming to the rally. In order to prevent people from coming to the rally, the police stopped the Dhaka-bound Barisal launch citing the fear of a cyclone. Besides, transport strikes have been called in different districts of the country citing the reasons of labor dissatisfaction. On the night of June 10, the rulers have verbally ordered not to go to Dhaka by night coach from the northern region. In addition, the police have arrested thousands of leaders and activists across the country. On the occasion of today's rally, law and order forces have also made extensive preparations. Detectives will be especially active in preventing any sabotage.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia may announce a package program including hartal on the demand of a non-partisan government. The program was not finalized in Saturday's standing committee meeting due to the non-permission of the rally and the withholding of bail of senior leaders including the acting general secretary of the party, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. After seeing the behavior of the government on Sunday, it was decided to finalize the program and schedule. The policy makers of the party said that BNP will follow the path of positive politics by announcing the program as the government is somewhat flexible. In that case, Khaleda Zia can announce the program keeping the door of dialogue open.
Even though the ultimatum was given, BNP had to face a difficult situation to collect the demands within the specified period. The government keeps the opposition busy by creating new issues. The issue of the disappearance of Ilyas Ali and the detention of senior leaders came to the fore. They have to be more busy with this issue. Khaleda Zia is having to plan the movement with the release of senior leaders and the Ilyas Ali issue in front of the demands of a non-partisan government.
According to sources, after the meeting of the standing committee, the chairperson of the party Tariqul Islam and two senior leaders held a closed door meeting for about an hour. A draft of the program was prepared there. The day after the budget was passed, there was a policy decision to go on strike after rejecting it, but BNP withdrew from it. As a new warrant was issued in the name of senior leaders including Mirza Fakhrul, a policy decision was made to hold a one-day nationwide morning-evening strike on this issue. Besides, it was decided to hold several public meetings of Khaleda Zia outside Dhaka, including a mass procession in Dhaka before Ramadan. Apart from this, the issue-based protest rally program will be held until the holy Eid-ul-Fitr. Road and rail blockade may be announced after Ramadan. In addition, there may be an announcement of the formation of the Sangram Parishad on the initiative of 18 parties across the country to realize the demands.
After obtaining the permission, a stage has been constructed in front of the VIP tower just opposite to the central office in the size of the stage for the March 12 rally. In the rally, 300 microphones and 4 big screens are supposed to be installed on Nayapaltan and surrounding roads. Throughout the night, microphones were installed up to Shapla Chattar in the east, Kakrail Mosque in the west, Malibagh in the north and Topkhana Road in the south. Apart from this, Jasas artistes will encourage the activists through songs. The rally will be telecast live on the website www.bnplive.com.
Leaders and activists started coming to Dhaka for a few days to participate in today's rally. As on March 12, many people went to the hotel as there was no ban on boarding the hotel. Some have taken refuge in the homes of close relatives and party leaders and friends. Shivchar Upazila BNP President Nazmul Huda (Mithu) Chowdhury told Jugantar that he had come to Dhaka with a part of local leaders and activists on Saturday. Many people came yesterday. On the day of the rally, thousands of activists will come from Shivchar to join the rally. He said that the rulers did not create any obstacles to come to this rally like March 12. Law enforcement personnel were also quite flexible.
Now the countrymen are looking at the attitude of the opposition party and the government party. Because people don't want any disorder. They do not want any strike. People want the guardianship issue to be resolved through negotiation. Now let's see what happens after today's rally.
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