War of words between AL-BNP ahead of 10 Dec rally

Amid the economic downturn in the domestic market due to dollar crunch, the two major political organisations are taking a dig at each other through polemics ahead of BNP's final divisional rally in Dhaka on 10 December. 

A top leader of the BNP Wednesday (16 November) claimed that fear has spread in the ruling party because of their scheduled event in the capital on that day. 

"You Awami League leaders are afraid of 10 December. We have heard that some of the Awami League leaders and workers are packing their bags. The police administration, MPs, and ministers, all are restless about the date," said BNP Vice-chairperson Shamsuzzaman Dudu. 

The party wants to hold a rally in Nayapaltan on 10 December in continuation of the previous ones in the divisional cities to meet their demands for election under a caretaker government.

Several leaders of BNP said that from that day the country will run under the orders of their party leaders Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. 

During Wednesday's discussion marking the 46th death anniversary of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "The public has erupted like a volcano, the government will not be able to stop BNP with false and fabricated cases like cowards."

Refusing the claims of BNP top brass, AL leaders are saying that the planned rally of 10 December will not be fruitful. 

On Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzak said, Awami League is a party with an enduring heritage. 

"Its roots are deep. The government cannot be overthrown on 10 December even if BNP wishes," he told the media at an event in Chuadanga. 

Referring to the Hefazat-e-Islam movement of 2013, the minister said, "They (Hefazat activists) had occupied the Shapla square and said that the AL government will fall. The whole nation was watching it on television. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia ordered the workers to aid Hefazat." 

Razzak, also an AL presidum member, commented that BNP will be suppressed and ousted like Hefazat if they do anything out of line on 10 December. 

Meanwhile, at the discussion on Wednesday, BNP's Mirza Fakhrul further said addressing party workers, "There is no need to listen to who said what and where. Let them (AL) whatever on whether the game is on or not. We will remain steadfast as we are." 

The BNP veteran referred to the "game on" (Khela Hobe) remarks frequently made by Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader. 

On 11 November, asking BNP to be prepared, Obaidul Quader said that a game will be played against their misrule and arson terror.

"There will be a game against BNP, their corruption, misrule, looting, and arson terror. The game will be against vote theft. Get ready," he said addressing party activists at the grand rally of the Jubo League. 

Earlier on 7 November, Quader reiterated that a game will be played against those who wanted to save the murderers of Bangabandhu in the next election. 

He said this while addressing as the chief guest at the district Awami League's triennial conference at the Tangail district stadium.

The AL leader has been saying the phrase in his speech for several days in the context of BNP movement, especially their regular divisional rallies. Quader used it not only in public meetings, but also in the national Parliament.

"It (Khela Hobe) is political humour, it has been accepted by the public. It was the most popular slogan in India's West Bengal elections. Mamata Banerjee said it, Indian PM Narendra Modi also said it. The whole election was dominated by the phrase," he told the media Wednesday.

Elaborating on the reason behind the wordings, Quader said, "The slogan that we are giving means that misrule, corruption, looting, like in the past during BNP era should not happen again. We are saying that the game is on against these things."

Shamim Osman MP of the Narayanganj-4 constituency first used the two words about six years ago at a public meeting in Narayanganj.

Later on a private television channel, he said that the slogan was given in the context of the arson attack of the BNP-Jamaat coalition in 2013 and 2014.

As part of the move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on 27 September announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The party has already arranged six rallies, in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal, and Faridpur braving various obstacles and transport strikes. 

BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city on 10 December, coinciding with International Human Rights day.