Reza Mahmud :
BNP leaders and activists are prepared to take to the street on February 8 (Thursday) if court verdict on the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia goes against her, party insiders said.
The verdict will be delivered on the Zia Orphanage Trust case filed against BNP chief on the day.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police have banned all processions, rally and gathering in the city over Khaleda Zia’s verdict on February 8.
Besides, the police across the country have been directed to keep alert to prevent BNP men to take to the streets.
Meanwhile, BNP senior leaders said that the party men would not sit idle if their party chairperson gets ‘unjust’ verdict on the case.
When contacted, BNP National Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas told The New Nation on Tuesday, “The BNP is a most popular political party. It is not an illegal organisation. So, the police should not threat the party leaders and activists.”
“The BNP leaders and activists will protest on February 8 against any conspiracy of the government to keep our party chairperson Khaleda Zia beyond of next polls. They will also take to the street and take part in protest in peaceful and democratic norms,” he said.
The BNP senior leader also alleged that, “The government has been trying to keep us at home using police and other law enforcers since it has taken over the state power. But we must show our reactions in a democratic manner.”
One of the Party’s Vice-Chairman Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin told The New Nation, “The party leaders and activists will not sit idle on the day. Police may act as per the Awami League government’s directions. But the BNP men will take to the street with the people to protest any kind of conspiracy.”
Most of the BNP leaders utterly rejected any kind of vandalism on the day. Rather, they alleged that the ruling Awami League might create sabotage after announcement of Khaleda Zia’s verdict to give blame on the BNP.
“We get information from reliable sources that the ruling party leaders and activists are planning to smash cars, vehicles and other public properties to give blame on the BNP. But we will take to the street in a peaceful manner. We will face every crisis with calm,” BNP leader Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal told the New Nation.
Alal, also a lawyer, said the case is politically motivated and was filed intentionally to keep the party chief out of politics.
Apart from these, BNP Senior Joint-General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday said that police have arrested more than 1,100 party leaders and activists across the country, including some senior leaders.
He also alleged that the law enforcers arrested the party Joint-Secretary General and the party’s Dhaka South City Unit President Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel on Monday night.
On the other hand, the BNP chief passed busy days during the last week. She has given directions to the party leaders in every stage. She sat with the party’s highest policy-making body-National Standing Committee Members on several times in last few days. She also sat with Vice-Chairmen, Advisors, Joint Secretaries and National Executive Committee members ahead of the verdict due for February 8.
The Party leaders said that the BNP chief had given important directions to them. Khaleda Zia has given the necessary directions for the party’s next courses of action if she gets jail verdict. “The party chief has given all the necessary directions for long terms activities in different situations of the party ahead of the next national polls,” said a senior leader preferring anonymity.
Khaleda Zia also visited Sylhet on Monday and offered prayers at Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shahparan (RA) shrines. But Khaleda Zia has not given any political speech in open field. She has sat in a close door meeting with few leaders from four districts of the Sylhet division.
Party insiders said their chairperson has given messages not only the party men but also the people, especially the voters, of the country ahead of the next polls.
“Our party chief is never anxious over the verdict. But she is anxious over the government’s blue print to hold the next national elections one sided again. She given us directions to protest such conspiracy keeping the people with us,” said another party leader on condition of anonymity.
Khaleda Zia urged the people not to bow down to government’s conspiracy, he said.
