Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
The country’s political arena is likely to be hot, as the ruling Awami League and its archrival BNP are preparing to organise counter programme targeting January 5, the first anniversary of the ‘one-sided’ election which was boycotted by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
The ruling side is preparing to celebrate the anniversary of assuming power, while the BNP is planning to observe the day as ‘Vote Rigging Day’. The BNP-led alliance is also preparing to hold a grand rally in the city on the day or hold rallies across the country to express ‘no-confidence’ in the government.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from the rally may call hartal and other programmes as she wants to take the movement to a height by March to meet their demand — fresh polls under a non-party government system. She herself said on several occasions that she would call tougher street progamme anytime. On the other hand, AL leaders even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed their determination to thwart anti-government movement. Health Minister Mohammad Nasim said that they would remain ready to give a teeth-breaking reply to the BNP’s movement. They will face the ‘anti-democratic’ programme of the BNP-led alliance.
Food Minister Advocate Kamrul Islam, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, AL central leader Dr Hasan Mahmud are also echoing the same. “In this situation, political observers opined that the AL and the BNP seem to be heading for confrontation.
Prof. Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Sushasaner Jonnya Nagorik (Sujon), said the country’s politics may be heated up in the beginning of the New Year again due to the stance of the AL and the BNP.
Meanwhile, the announcement of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling party, also made apprehension among the people. Political analysts said that the BCL’s announcement is a signal of hot politics in the coming days. The BCL said that they would not allow Khaleda Zia and her party to hold rally in any part of the county if BNP vice-chairman and Khaleda Zia’s elder son Tarique Rahman does not seek apology for his comment that “Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is a ‘Razakar’.”
Addressing a rally on the Dhaka University campus on Sunday, BCL president HM Badiuzzamn Sohag said that Tarique should withdraw his infuriating comments and should also seek apology immediately. He also demanded of the BNP to sack Tarique from the post and expel him from the party. Otherwise, the BCL will organise rallies at the same time and same place to counter Khaleda Zia’s rally all over the country, he added.
Khaleda Zia is expected to address a rally in Gazipur on December 27. The Gazipur district unit of the BCL earlier on Saturday warned that they won’t allow the BNP chief to enter the district until Tarique seeks apology for his derogatory comment.
Political analysts said that the announcement of the BCL has to be considered as the reflection of ruling party’s attitude, as the BCL’s announcement came after the hard statement of some senior Awami League leaders.
Prof Nurul Amin Bepari of Political Science Department of Dhaka University said it seems that the political arena may be heated up in the beginning of 2015. If the BCL men obstruct Khaleda Zia’s rally, it will make the street hot, he added.
BNP’s organising secretary and Gazipur district unit president Fazlul Haque Milon said they are working to make the Gazipur rally of Khaleda Zia a success. About BCL’s warning, he said that the ruling party men fear the popularity of the BNP chief. For this reason, they are trying to thwart the rally and other programmes, he added.
