Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) plans to escalate its pressure on the government by initiating a non-cooperation movement, which will involve other political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, starting from January, according to sources within the party.
Sources said that the intermittent strike and blockade prorammes will persist throughout the remainder of December as part of the ongoing efforts to maintain pressure on the government for holding one-sided election.
While the government and the Election Commission are proceeding with the scheduled January 7 election, the BNP and several other opposition parties have chosen to boycott the polls.
They said that elections conducted under a partisan government lack fairness, citing concerns similar to those observed in the last two parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2018.
Amid the run up of the election, some 20,000 BNP leaders and workers, including its party Secretary General and other presidium members are languishing behind bars and failing to obtain any bail.
BNP sources said that such massive crackdown and filing trumped-up cases against their party workers have made the
election one-sided.
The January 7th election has garnered much attention of the international community, including the United Nations and the United States which are expressing a desire to see a free, fair and peaceful election.
In the new strategy for the protest, the BNP intends to take two steps before the election. In this regard, there will be strikes and blockades for the remaining days of the current month, starting from December 19.
In the next phase, a plan has been outlined to continue the protest through non-cooperation starting from the first day of the New Year until the ultimate victory of the movement, a source within the BNP said.
Sources said that BNP wants to involve Jamaat-e-Islami to build a robust movement in the upcoming days. There have been several discussions between the high commands of both parties recently regarding the joint movement.
The recent statements of BNP senior leaders indicate a strong desire to launch a rigorous movement ahead.
Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, a member of the BNP’s Standing Committee, expressed this sentiment in a recent press conference at the National Press Club last Friday.
He stated, “This time, the government cannot garner any benefit through fear. No one can predict what the government will face in the five days after the election. Therefore, 2014 and 2024 are not the same.
The power of the people cannot be subdued by cannons or bullets. There are countless worldwide examples. This government will not have the last defense. The people do not trust this government.”
In the Victory Day event, BNP’s Standing Committee Member, Nazrul Islam Khan, stated, “Everyone should join the united struggle to bring down the oppressive government. Do not participate in the farcical election. Casting a vote has no meaning in this election.”
Though the central leaders are talking about intensifying movement, most of the leaders and workers are either facing mass arrests or hiding in fear of oppressions by the law enforcers and ruling party leaders.
The grassroots level leaders said that without international pressure on the government, there is no opportunity for BNP leaders and activists to engage in a democratic movement on the field.
