Staff Reporter :
In the aftermath of the 12th parliamentary election, the political landscape is once again heating up as the two major rivals, Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), organised separate programmes in the capital for the first time after the poll.
Charged with political rhetoric, the ruling party Awami League has announced that they would hold programme again on January 30 when BNP will hold their programme, signaling a potential escalation in political tensions.
Despite prior request from BNP urging Awami League not to organise any programme on the same day, the ruling party forged ahead, justifying their actions in the name of peace and democracy rally.
Local critics and the international community have frequently urged both political parties to exercise restraint and avoid confrontational programmes that could potentially escalate into violence.
The echoes of past incidents, such as the clashes on October 28 before the January 7 election, serve as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of such political confrontations in the upcoming days.
During the events on October 28, Awami League gathered its leaders and workers at Bangabandhu Avenue, while BNP organised a grand rally at Naya Paltan.
The day took a tumultuous turn when police action foiled the BNP rally, leading to the arrest of numerous top leaders and workers in the aftermath.
The events of that day are etched in the memories of many, raising concerns about a repeated scenario as the political parties once again gear up for simultaneous programmes.
The ruling party’s decision to walk down the similar path of but that the government’s legality should not be solely based on foreign certifications without the approval of the people.
The BNP’s program is not only centered around demanding the scrapping of what they consider an illegitimate parliament but also aims to protest against rising commodity prices.
The party has been persistent in its call for a fair election under the supervision of a neutral government.
Leaders and activists from Dhaka and its suburbs congregated at the announced venues, starting processions around 12:30 pm. After a brief rally, the participants engaged in a black-flag procession around 3:30 pm.
Abdul Moyeen Khan, another member of the party’s standing committee, asserted that the black-flag protests signify the final warning for the government, which, according to him, is operating without public mandate and will be compelled to depart after being isolated from the people. He characterized the January 7 election as a moral defeat for the government.
Addressing the crowd, BNP Vice Chairman Md Shahjahan highlighted the people’s disapproval of the current government through the January 7 election.
He expressed the confidence that if BNP leaders and activists fulfill their duties, the government will be forced to dissolve the current parliament and announce a fresh election.
BNP Vice-chairman AZM Zahid Hossain claimed that around 90 percent of the people rejected the elections, yet the government continued its rule, seemingly ignoring the constitution.
organising counter-programs whenever BNP calls for protests or demands a fresh election mirrors the pre-election tactics.
The same strategy seems to have been reignited, with Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quarter at the Bangabandhu Avenue on Saturday announced that they would continue such programmes, urging party leaders and workers to remain vigilant across the country.
The political rivalry between Awami League and BNP has deep roots, and their interactions have often been marked by tension and occasional clashes.
The issue of the caretaker government has been a persistent point of contention, with BNP often raising concerns about the fairness of elections under the incumbent government.
This concern has been the catalyst for numerous protests and rallies, each met with counter-programmes by the ruling party.
On different occasion, the international community, including the UN, US and EU has said that they are closely monitoring the political situation here and consistently emphasised the importance of allowing the opposition to hold political programmes.
In the pre-election period, BNP faced multidimensional challenges to hold their political programems including rallies across the country when the transports and roads were blocked so that BNP supporters cannot join such events.
