July 13, 2023
DHAKA – Claiming that their victory is certain, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today formally announced a ‘one-point’ movement with the goal to remove Awami League from the power to hold the upcoming national elections under a neutral government.
As part of the first programme to realise the one-point demand, a two-day countrywide march programme was also announced for July 18 and 19.
Fakhrul came up with the announcement at a massive rally organised by the party’s Dhaka north and south units in front of its Nayapaltan Central Office today.
“I am announcing the programme, on behalf of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, to free the nation from (misrule). It’s a historic moment as other parties who are with us in the movement are also making similar announcements,” he said
On July 18, the BNP leader said the road march will be held in all metropolitan cities and districts across the country to realise one-point demand while the same programme will be observed in Dhaka stretching from Gabtali to Jatrabari from 10:00am to 4:00pm on the same day.
Besides, he said the party will also march on July 19 from Uttara’s Abdullahpur to Bahadur Shah Park in the old part of Dhaka from 10:00am to 4:00pm. “The similar programme will also be held in other metropolitan cities and districts the same day.”
Apart from the BNP, 36 other like-minded political parties also announced the one-point movement and similar programmes to press home their demand to hold the next parliament elections under a non-party government.
“We who are carrying out the movement against the government have unanimously decided to come up with a joint announcement from our respective positions about a one-point greater movement in a simultaneous manner. There’s now only one point.”
The one-point demand includes the resignation of the current fascist, authoritarian, people’s vote looter and illegal Awami League government, dissolution of the existing parliament, formation of the polls-time impartial government and reconstitution of the Election Commission for arranging a free, fair and inclusive election, the release of all political prisoners, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, withdrawal of all falls and ghost cases, including those against Tarique Rahman, and annulment of all false convictions.
“The opposition political alliances and parties active on the streets are announcing to build a greater united movement in a simultaneous manner based on the one point and make it a success for ensuring people’s economic emancipation and restoring voting rights and democracy through the democratic reform of the constitutional state system,” the joint declaration reads.
Fakhrul called upon all other democratic parties to come forward together with the country’s people and BNP and other opposition parties to build an irresistible fierce movement to establish a government people by unseating the plunderer, fascist and autocratic regime.
He urged the government to step down. Or else, the BNP leader warned that the government would not get the escape route, he warned.
He said they announced the initial programme of their one-point movement and warned that they will come up with programmes as expected by people if the government does not quit power.
“We’ll topple this fascist, illegitimate and looter government and establish a people’s government through elections under a non-partisan government.”Inshallah, we must turn victorious.”
Fakhrul urged the law enforcers and government employees to discharge their duties neutrally upholding their oaths. “Otherwise, you will be accused of breaching oaths.”
At the beginning of his speech, he recalled the memories of the BNP leaders and activists who have been made disappeared and killed during the movement against the current regime.
The BNP leader said that the government has been indulging in unbridled corruption and misdeeds as it has no accountability to the people.
He said they want a fair election, but not under the current government as it has lost its credibility by holding rigged elections in 2014 and 2018.
The BNP leader alleged that the government tried to obstruct the rally by putting obstacles in different areas so that the opposition activists couldn’t join the programme from the districts adjacent to Dhaka.
BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas slammed the Awami League for holding a counter rally in the capital in the name of a ‘peace rally’. “Their programme did not evoke public support as they’re holding the peace rally by keeping the country’s people unhappy and creating chaos at every home across the country.”
Another BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said that there will be elections under current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and their party will not make any compromise with those who repressed the opposition leaders and activists.
Braving inclement weather, tens of thousands of the BNP leaders and activities gathered before the party’s Nayapaltan office with processions carrying banners, festoons, placards and portraits of the party’s top leaders from different parts of Dhaka since Wednesday morning to join the rally.
A large number of members of law enforcement agencies were deployed in the Nayapaltan area to maintain law and order.
Ruling Awami League also held a ‘peace rally’ not very far away at the Baitul Mokarram South Gate.
Alongside the BNP, Ganatantra Mancha, 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samomona Jote, the Liberal Democratic Party, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Labour Party, two splinter groups of the Gono Odhikar Parishad (one led by Reza Kibria and the other by Nurul Haque Nur), Gonotantrik Bam Oikya, Samomona Gonotantrik Peshajibi Jote and Sadaran Chhatra Odhikar Sanrakshan Parishad also held rallies in different parts of the city and announced the one-point movement and the two-day march programme.