- Special festival decrease movement
- Unplanned hartal, blockade not get response
- 82 cases in 6 months, defendants lakhs of activists
- 1273 people have been sentenced
Just seven days after the National Assembly elections. 60 anti-government political parties including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) did not go to the polls. The party is in the final movement with a strike blockade and mass communication program. However, BNP has not yet been able to do any favors. At the beginning of last year, a one-phase movement was announced to bring down the government. After that, the party's general secretary Mirza Fakhrul along with the top leaders said that they would start the final movement after Eid. Then it is said that after the puja, there will be a big movement. After the attack on the rally in Dhaka on October 28, the party's top leaders were arrested. Grassroot level leaders across the country including Dhaka went into hiding. After that, strikes, blockades, and non-cooperation movements started.
Last Yesterday, the Joint Secretary General of BNP again announced a two-day mass communication program. Later he said that the beginning and end of the year are people's happy days. After these two days, people will have a good time, and they will walk on the final path. In 2023, BNP could not do more than a flexible program despite repeatedly threatening strict agitation. Unplanned strikes and non-cooperation, marches, sit-in programs, mass marches and road marches, media briefings, human chains, statements, and some meetings have been held by the party. That's why they have spent their farewell year as 'fruitless' from the field level. However, the party's high command says that they will hold a five-day short-time movement in the first week of next year given the upcoming elections.
Year started with threat of agitation:
A phase of agitation started with the Dhaka Divisional Assembly on December 10. From that rally, the party announced 10 points including the demand for the dissolution of Parliament, the resignation of the government, and a non-partisan government during the election. After that, the BNP started the movement for the downfall of the government in January of the election year 2023. From the center to the grassroots, the party's organizational capacity is being tested. As part of this, in October 2022, a few years before the national elections, the BNP organized a series of rallies in organizational divisions across the country, which ended with the rally at Golapbagh ground on December 10 of that year. After that, a long period was spent repeatedly on the reform of the state, including 31 points. A political alliance of 36 parties was formed. A few months before the twelfth national election, a one-point demand for the downfall of the government began with marches, sit-in programs, mass marches, and road marches. Like-minded alliances including BNP were mainly movement-oriented throughout the year. Along with the movement, there was fear of arrest and punishment among the activists throughout the year.
Hiding and conflict at the last minute:
On October 28, massive violence took place around the party's general meeting in Dhaka. Since then, the government has become stricter. Several senior leaders of the BNP including the party's general secretary Mirza Fakhrul were arrested. Many leaders of the party active in the field went into hiding to avoid arrest. At least 60 parties, including the BNP, announced that they would not participate in the elections after failing in the movement to bring down the government. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint general secretary of the party announced the program from a secret location since October 28. Besides, he spread heat by holding protest marches in different parts of the country including Dhaka.
Spend more time in the court area:
The political arena was heated in the outgoing year ahead of the 12th National Assembly elections. The heat of politics has had the greatest impact on the courts.The arrest of BNP's top leaders was discussed in the court arena throughout the year. Also, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Jobaida Rahman were sentenced in the ACC case this year. Along with that, Khaleda Zia's trial in the NICO case also started. On the other hand, at the end of the year, the verdict of imprisonment came against thousands of BNP leaders and activists in cases filed on charges of sabotage in the last fifteen years. The party's central committee leader and top leaders of associate organizations are also included in the list. The party was a problem before the 12th National Assembly elections due to court remands and sentences.
lakhs of activists accused in six months
From July 28 and 29 until yesterday, 27 thousand 2 hundred 01 leaders and activists of the party were arrested across the country based on the program announced by the center. The number of cases is 11 thousand 08. Accused 99 thousand 381 people. Injured 9 thousand 399 people. Death of 27 people (including 01 journalist) sentence in 82 cases with the death sentence of 9 people 1 thousand 2 hundred and 73 people.
Gayeshwar injured
On July 29, there was a chase and clash between BNP leaders and activists with the police at the program at Dholaikhal in the capital. Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a member of the party's standing committee, was injured at this time. The police arrested him in a bloody state. Activists alleged that the police threw Gayeshwar on the street and beat him.
Absence of MPs in party programs
It has been a long-standing complaint that BNP party members do not have much contact with the party members. They were not seen much in the central program of the party this year. Many leaders and activists have complained that their political practice is limited to anti-government speeches about government benefits in the parliament.
Pressure to go elections:
After the announcement of the schedule for the 12th National Assembly elections, some leaders of the BNP including the vice chairman left the party and took part in the elections. Although these leaders did not have much importance in the organizational and voting field, the party's vice-chairman Barrister Shahjahan Omar Bir Uttam, and long-time movement partner Bangladesh Kalyan Party Chairman Syed Muhammad Ibrahim Bir Prateek eventually left the alliance, giving rise to discussion and criticism. Ousted leaders Shamser Mobin Chowdhury and Taimur Alam Khandkar went to Trinamool BNP and gave rise to discussions. Although many BNP leaders will go to the polls on behalf of the ruling party, it was said repeatedly.
Khaleda Zia in hospital:
Throughout the year, the issue of ill Khaleda Zia's better treatment abroad was also at the center of BNP's discussion. Khaleda Zia, who was conditionally released from prison by the government's executive order on March 25, 2020, is currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital. He is being treated sometimes in the cabin and sometimes in the ICU. Meanwhile, on October 25, three specialist doctors from the United States came to Dhaka and performed surgery on Khaleda Zia on October 26. By the end of the year, there were reports of some improvement in his health. However, he is unable to return home at the moment. Have to be under the supervision of doctors.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary general of BNP, said that the final movement of BNP will definitely bring a new sun for the citizens of Bangladesh. BNP is on the streets for people's rights. BNP leaders and activists were active throughout the year in the struggle to bring back the lost rights of the people. They did not back down from their goals and ideals. Continued the ongoing movement by steadfastly tolerating oppression. And it will continue until the desired goal is reached.
ARS
