S.A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Activists of Sylhet City BNP have expressed their deep disappointment over the absence of top leaders on the streets during hartals and the ongoing countrywide blockade.
Grassroots activists have also alleged that they are facing difficulty to contact senior party leaders of the district as most of their mobile phones have remained switched off since the clash on January 5.
Party insiders said most of the BNP leaders in Sylhet have gone into hiding to evade arrest after police filed two cases. Most of the BNP leaders in Sylhet were not staying at their homes while some have already left the city to avoid getting caught by the police, said sources.
Talking to this correspondent, some grassroots and mid-level activists said that they were feeling down as the top brass are reluctant to take to the streets.
‘We are looking forward to receive directions from our top brass. However, we cannot contact them as they have switched off their cell phones,’ alleged a BNP activist.
‘The senior leaders should come to the scene and lead the movement against the government,’ said another activist.
However, Shamsuzzaman Zaman the Sylhet city BNP member claimed otherwise and said,’This is not altogether true that the senior leaders are not in the scene. There are some bona fide and dedicated leaders who are always to be found on the streets.’
‘It is very natural for party activists to become somewhat disappointed when they do not receive any direction from the leaders. However, we urge the rank and file not to lose hope and carry on with the anti-government movement,’ added Zaman
Abdul Kaiyum Jalali Ponki, former secretary of city BNP, said, ‘How can we dare to go to the party office when our leaders are unlawfully harassed and arrested by the police?’ They were avoiding going to the party office on some strategic grounds, he added.
Referring to the recent comment of the social welfare minister that the ‘arsonists’ should be shot at sight and need not be tried, the BNP leader alleged that the current Awami League (AL) government has turned the country into a police state.
Terming the incumbent AL government as tyrannical and fascist, Sattar said that all inalienable rights including freedom of speech and freedom of movement are now denied in the country.
Meanwhile, Shofi Ahmed Chowdhury, member of BNP central executive committee, said his party colleagues in Sylhet have opted to retreat from protest programmes for the time being for strategic reasons.
‘The movement has now spread among the masses. The people on their own will are waging movement to topple the autocratic government,’ claimed Mahbuber, adding that the BNP leaders and activists were harassed and sued in false cases.
No senior leader of the city BNP has been seen on the streets during the blockade programme or hartals called by the party. Hardly any leader or activist were seen to take to the streets during the countrywide strikes on January 6 and 15. No street activity was reported during the 36-hour hartal in Sylhet division beginning from January 20.
The SMP sources said that almost all the top brass of the BNP-led alliance in Sylhet and other associate bodies of the organisation were accused in the two cases. Police have so far arrested around 200 persons including BNP city convener Dr. Shahriar Hossain Chowdhury and member secretary Bodruzzaman Salim while the rest are on the run.
Activists of Sylhet City BNP have expressed their deep disappointment over the absence of top leaders on the streets during hartals and the ongoing countrywide blockade.
Grassroots activists have also alleged that they are facing difficulty to contact senior party leaders of the district as most of their mobile phones have remained switched off since the clash on January 5.
Party insiders said most of the BNP leaders in Sylhet have gone into hiding to evade arrest after police filed two cases. Most of the BNP leaders in Sylhet were not staying at their homes while some have already left the city to avoid getting caught by the police, said sources.
Talking to this correspondent, some grassroots and mid-level activists said that they were feeling down as the top brass are reluctant to take to the streets.
‘We are looking forward to receive directions from our top brass. However, we cannot contact them as they have switched off their cell phones,’ alleged a BNP activist.
‘The senior leaders should come to the scene and lead the movement against the government,’ said another activist.
However, Shamsuzzaman Zaman the Sylhet city BNP member claimed otherwise and said,’This is not altogether true that the senior leaders are not in the scene. There are some bona fide and dedicated leaders who are always to be found on the streets.’
‘It is very natural for party activists to become somewhat disappointed when they do not receive any direction from the leaders. However, we urge the rank and file not to lose hope and carry on with the anti-government movement,’ added Zaman
Abdul Kaiyum Jalali Ponki, former secretary of city BNP, said, ‘How can we dare to go to the party office when our leaders are unlawfully harassed and arrested by the police?’ They were avoiding going to the party office on some strategic grounds, he added.
Referring to the recent comment of the social welfare minister that the ‘arsonists’ should be shot at sight and need not be tried, the BNP leader alleged that the current Awami League (AL) government has turned the country into a police state.
Terming the incumbent AL government as tyrannical and fascist, Sattar said that all inalienable rights including freedom of speech and freedom of movement are now denied in the country.
Meanwhile, Shofi Ahmed Chowdhury, member of BNP central executive committee, said his party colleagues in Sylhet have opted to retreat from protest programmes for the time being for strategic reasons.
‘The movement has now spread among the masses. The people on their own will are waging movement to topple the autocratic government,’ claimed Mahbuber, adding that the BNP leaders and activists were harassed and sued in false cases.
No senior leader of the city BNP has been seen on the streets during the blockade programme or hartals called by the party. Hardly any leader or activist were seen to take to the streets during the countrywide strikes on January 6 and 15. No street activity was reported during the 36-hour hartal in Sylhet division beginning from January 20.
The SMP sources said that almost all the top brass of the BNP-led alliance in Sylhet and other associate bodies of the organisation were accused in the two cases. Police have so far arrested around 200 persons including BNP city convener Dr. Shahriar Hossain Chowdhury and member secretary Bodruzzaman Salim while the rest are on the run.
