The BNP is firm to compel the government to hold the next parliamentary election in an inclusive manner as the public sentiment demands neutral polls.
“The November 12 rally proved that the government could not overpower the people’s desire. They (government) must be failed to ignore the public pressure to hold participatory polls,” BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas told The New Nation while replying a query on Friday.
Mirza Abbas said the people of Bangladesh want
to give their votes in a fearless environment. If the government try to hold an one-sided polls like January 5, 2014, the people might not take that easily, he added.
The people must stand firmly against such an arbitrary step of the ruling party, the BNP leader added.
Sources said that the BNP high-ups are now busy in taking plans to counter the government strategies ahead of the next general elections.
They said that senior leaders and think tanks of the party are now working closely with the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia for taking strategies about the next course of action in this regard.
They are chalking out plans to make the government agree to sit with the BNP to discuss ways to hold the 11th national polls in a free, fair and credible means.
The party high-ups firmly hope that the government finally must agree to sit with BNP to pave a way out to avoid a possible public uprising.
The government and the ruling party are now avoiding the possibility to understanding with the BNP as a political stance.
“The AL is now mentally prepared for a discussion with opposition political parties like BNP, but avoiding that as their strategy to keep their party men away from being disappointed,” said a senior BNP leader preferring anonymity.
BNP sources said that their party men are now excited over the huge gathering in the rally of the November 12 at Suhrawardy Udyan in the city to mark the November 7 as ‘The National Revolution and Solidarity Day’.
They said that the people from different walks of life joined the rally to hear the directives from the party chief and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
They alleged that the government had tried its best to make obstacle to the people on their way to join the meeting but failed.
The party leaders said that the government stopped buses and other transports on the day to enter Dhaka from different districts. But the people joined the meeting ignoring all obstacles and made the programme a grand success.
When contacted, BNP Joint-Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, said, “How the next general polls will be hold that will be decided by the people of the country. That day has gone to hold an one-sided polls again in this soil, because the people have become more conscious nowadays.”
Alal said the ruling party may try to keep BNP out of the election race as their senior leaders are delivering speeches alike. But they will finally be compelled by the people to sit for discussion with opposition parties like BNP and to hold an inclusive polls.”
