BNP to hold mass procession in Dhaka on 30 Dec, 12 parties announce to join
‘The BNP want a solution to the crisis through peaceful democratic means.’
The BNP has changed the date for holding a mass procession in the capital from 24 December to 30 December as the ruling Awami League's national council is scheduled to be held the same day.
However, the mass processions in other parts of the country will be held on the pre-scheduled date, said Nazrul Islam Khan, the standing committee member of the BNP, at a press conference held at the party's headquarter in Nayapaltan on Saturday.
On 10 December, at the party's mass rally in the capital's Golapbag, the BNP announced plans to hold the mass-procession programme on 24 December across the country including Dhaka.
Earlier, on 28 October, the Awami League had declared the same date for its 22nd national council in the city.
The announcement of the two parties to hold programmes in Dhaka on the same day created a tense situation.
Several Awami League leaders including the party's General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader called on the BNP to change the date of their mass procession in the city to avoid any possible confrontation.
BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said, "The BNP does not want any conflict. We want a solution to the crisis through peaceful democratic means. At the same time, Obaidul Quader has also called for a change of the date for our mass procession. We want to act like a political party."
"We announced the programme on 24 December to press home our 10-point demand. It will not be carried out in Dhaka on that day. But, the programme will be held in the cities and districts across the country. Our mass procession in Dhaka will be held on 30 December," he added.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said that people of the country will come together like the past instances in history to bring democracy.
At a discussion programme at the National Press Club on Saturday afternoon, he said, "Our people overthrew Ershad's dictatorship through mass protest. Pakistan's Ayub Khan was also overthrown by the people. Recently, in Sri Lanka, the 18-year Rajapaksa dynasty was toppled by the people. Our people will also establish their own government."
12 parties to join BNP on 30 December
Eleven parties belonging to the 20-party alliance announced to hold a joint mass procession programme in Dhaka on 30 December expressing solidarity with the 10-point demand of the BNP including the resignation of the government.
The parties made the announcement in a joint statement on Saturday.
The statement was signed by Jatiya Party (Zafar) Chairman Mostafa Jamal Haider, Kalyan Party Chairman Major General (retired) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Bangladesh Labor Party Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran, Bangladesh National Party Chairman Advocate Syed Ehsanul Huda, NDP Chairman Kari Mohammad Abu Taher, Bangladesh LDP Secretary General Shahadat Hossain Selim, Islami Oikya Jote Chairman Maulana Abdul Rakib, Muslim League Secretary General Sheikh Zulfikar Bulbul Chowdhury, Jamiat Ulema E Islam Secretary General Golam Mohiuddin Ikram, Bangladesh Islamic Party Secretary General Advocate Abul Kashem, Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal General Secretary Syed Nurul Islam.
Besides, Colonel Oli Ahmad's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has also expressed solidarity with the 30 December programme of the BNP.
Meanwhile, Matiur Rahman Akanda, central publicity affairs secretary of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, said that his party will announce later their decision on joining with the BNP in the streets on 30 December.
"We announced to join the BNP in the streets on 24 December, but it was postponed later. However, we will support the BNP's mass procession on 30 December. However, we will take a decision on whether we will come to the streets on that day," he told The Business Standard.