Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
Following ‘crash situation’ in the polls to the three city corporations, the BNP now wants to reduce distance with its alliance partners in a bid to launch a fresh and effective anti-government movement. “BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia wants to sit with her party-led 20-party alliance partners in a bid to reduce the gap with them. She also wants to make an assessment of the recently held city polls. The meeting is likely to be held any day in next week where the issue of the city polls will also be discussed,” said a BNP leader.
Sources said, a silent gap has been created between the BNP and its allies centering the city polls, as the BNP took part in the polls and backed candidates without discussions with the partners. Besides, the meeting will also discuss the strategy of the next anti-government movement.
BNP had boycotted the city polls in the midway of the voting alleging widespread of vote rigging. The party has yet to go for street agitations or spell out any programme in protest of the rigging. The party now wants to make relations with the partners, particularly with the Jamaat-e-Islami, for waging an effective street movement. A reliable source said Khaleda Zia thinks that her party is not able to wage an effective movement alone without the alliance partners.
The BNP chief is annoyed with her party leaders for their inactive role on the streets, even after attacks on her motorcade during the campaign of April 28 polls, the source added.
BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman told The New Nation that his party would take some time to launch the next course of action, as they would go for the fresh movement after making an in-depth assessment of April 28 city polls.
BNP chairperson’s adviser Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan said that the next course of action for the anti-government movement would be announced after discussions with the party’s policy makers and the senior leaders of alliance partners.
Bangladesh National Awami Party Secretary General Golam Mustafa Bhuiyan also said a meeting of the 20-party alliance may be held soon. Khaleda Zia may call the meeting to discuss the situation following the city polls.
