- Leaders & activists hesitate over implementation of mass boycott program
- There is anger as program did not come under same banner even at last time
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is going on the path of mass boycott program as part of the non-stop movement from January 1 after several phases of hartal-blockade and mass contact demanding boycott of dummy elections, resignation of the government and establishment of a caretaker government.
Party leaders and activists said that the message from the party's high command has been given that the Do or Die program will be observed for a short time. Their lawyers will not go to all the courts in the country. The workers will not go to the mills, they will be on the streets with their fair rights. Besides, farmers and professionals will be involved in the movement. BNP and its front organizations Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal and Swechchhasebok Dal will play a frontline role on the streets. The party is preparing the final format of how to keep voters away on January 7. As part of this, on December 23, the Sammilita Sramik Parishad (SSP) announced a workers' strike program in the garment sector from January 1. Besides, pro-BNP lawyers have also announced a boycott program from January 1 to 7.
The question has arisen among the common citizens about the impact of such a mass boycott program of BNP. BNP's policymakers themselves cannot say what will be the outcome of the mass boycott program. Besides, those concerned with politics are not willing to comment on the BNP's program in advance. Grassroots leaders and activists are also in the dark about how the mass boycott program will be successful. Of the 19 standing committee and 502-member executive committee leaders, only 91 are in detention. The rest are in hiding. Grassroots leaders are not able to communicate with anyone. Programs are being carried out separately on instructions from London.
Those concerned with politics said that the last 15 years of BNP are only walking in the wrong direction. The team fails to do what needs to be done in light of time. There is no plan in their program. At the grassroots level, this party has its leaders, it has popularity, there is no breakdown. That's why the team still exists. After Eid, the movement has spent a long time with such news. Then came the movement after the puja. They have not been able to involve the people in the hartal blockade since the rally collapsed on October 28. Now the non-cooperation movement is going on.
The leaflet distribution program is underway in the fifth phase. Many media reports have been published that many of the grassroots level leaders and partners are not aware of this program beforehand. The leaders and activists have no prior information about how the mass boycott program will be implemented in the future. Analysts said that BNP leaders and activists themselves are questioning whether voters can be kept away by not taking to the streets even after calling hartal blockades and holding leaflet programs.
When asked, an organizing secretary of a district BNP told The Daily Post that the program can be held on a single stage with Jamaat. We also dreamed a lot about the success of this program. We've had some meetings. Communication with them continued. Now there is a fear that it will happen for unknown reasons. But now there will be a big program of short time, to dissuade people from voting centers. There is such a message.
However, he said he did not know how the program would be carried out. Asked about the ongoing program, he expressed anger and said, "Look, those who have one or two leaders and activists, what will be the success of the movement if they carry out programs under police protection at Paltan Press Club with banners." This government will not move from the Paltan Press Club movement. There is no alternative to a one-stage movement with Jamaat to save the Trinamool BNP."
BNP's Law Affairs Secretary Barrister Kayser Kamal said, "We have announced programs to boycott all courts, including the Supreme Court, from January 1 to 7. In the meantime, after our program, lawyers are distributing leaflets in different parts of the country. Not only our lawyers, but the majority of the country's lawyers will be in our program. Besides, we have thousands of lawyers in Dhaka and other parts of the country, they will not go to court for seven days. They will play the highest role in protecting the right to vote."
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Special Assistant and labour leader Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas told The Daily Post, "I can't say anything about the issue of the workers in the mass boycott right now. Our standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan and Anwar Hossain, who is working with the workers, can say better. They will talk about the mass boycott of workers. I'm not going to talk about workers' issues now."
Former military officer and election analyst M Sakhawat Hossain said that what is an election? The result of which is known to all, what is the political future of Bangladesh, it is not only noticeable, it can be the subject of major research. Now it is impossible for me to say what will happen in the mass boycott of the opposition. Political analysts can say better. And those who do politics may have specific information, we have no information about it. What is mass exclusion? Ask the politicians... Let them know it's good.
Former Jahangirnagar University (JU) professor Anu Muhammad told The Daily Post, I don't think there is any mass boycott. If so, there may be a lot of pressure. It is not possible to know the thoughts of politicians in advance. They will be able to tell how the mass boycott program will be observed through workers, lawyers and many others. If so, then the situation will be understood. And this election is an extension of the 2014 model. He was previously elected unopposed. This time, they have created a game of competition among themselves with independent, dummy candidates to present voters. It is being said that those who do not go to vote are anti-democratic, anti-election. The government does not rely on the people. They rely on other forces.
ARS
