The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party leaders on Thursday asked the leaders and activists of the party and its affiliated organisations to be ready for a tougher movement.
Addressing at a rally at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa ground at the end of the party’s pre-scheduled road march, BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said that as prime minister Sheikh Hasina did not respond to the movement ran following the democratic process, a conflicting situation was imminent with programmes like hartal and blockade.
‘For that reason, the leaders and activists of the party must be ready to face such a situation,’ Gayeshwar said.
The road march on Bhairab-Brahmanbaria-Habiganj-Moulvibazar-Sylhet road was held as part of its simultaneous movement with likeminded political parties to oust the ruling Awami League government from power.
Gayeshwar said that there was no democracy in the country, people were unable to vote, daytime voting was done at night, and the money of the country was being smuggled abroad.
‘So, people don’t want to see Sheikh Hasina in power for another moment,’ Gayeshwar said.
The BNP leader said that they were not running a movement to come to power. Rather, they are agitating for democracy, for restoring the voting rights of the people.
He said that it was clear that the parliament should be dissolved and election should be held under a neutral government.
‘There will be no election in the country under the government of Sheikh Hasina. The country people will not allow it,’ he claimed.
Gayeshwar said that the whole world is angry today because there are no human rights or voting rights in Bangladesh.
Gayeshwar mentioned that foreigners never said they would bring the BNP or Awami League to power but said about fair election and maintaining democratic norms.
‘We also say that a non-partisan election should be held and the government should resign,’ he added.
Addressing the rally as a special guest, BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that no election would be allowed under Sheikh Hasina.
‘There is no alternative to holding election under a non-partisan government,’ he commented.
Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Quaiyum Chowdhury presided over the rally, which was addressed, among others, by the party chairperson’s advisor, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, and the city unit BNP president, Nasim Hossain.
The road march was supposed to reach the city around 4:00pm but inclement weather delayed it by four hours.
The road march reached the Alia Madrassah ground around 8:00pm.
The 160-kilometre road march, led by BNP standing committee members Gayeshwar Roy and Amir Khasru, started from the Bhirab bus stand at 11:15 am after a short rally there.
The party leaders and activists also held street rallies at Brahmanbaria, Shayestaganj in Habiganj, and Sherpur in Moulvibazar on their way to Sylhet during the day-long road march.
