BNP backs Islamists’ resistance
The BNP has finally decided to counter the Gonojagoron Mancha by extending support to Islamist groups’ agitations against the Manacha in different parts of the country.
It has taken the decision as it considers the Gonojagoron Mancha “a major challenge’ to the BNP-led 18-party alliance’s one-point movement to topple the government, sources in the BNP said.
Under the banner of 18-party alliance, the main opposition party also wants to “expose” the Mancha as a platform sponsored by the ruling Awami League and the government, the sources added.
Since the beginning of the rise of youths on February 5 following a war crimes tribunal verdict on Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah, the BNP was in a quandary. Its leaders had made confusing statements about the protests. But finally it has taken up a strategy to use Islamic sentiments to counter the Gonojagoron Mancha.
In line with its strategy, the opposition alliance at a rally in Chittagong city on Monday extended its support to radical Islamists who threatened to foil today’s Gonojagoron Mancha rally there.
Hefazate Islam Bangladesh, a qaumi madrasa-based Islamist organisation, has threatened to foil the rally in the port city, protesting the “anti-Islam activities of the Shahbagh atheist bloggers.”
The 18-party alliance’s senior leader in Chittagong Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, also chief of port city unit of the BNP, announced at Monday’s rally the alliance’s support to the Islamists’ agitations against the Mancha.
“Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury announced the 18-party’s support to Hefazate Islam Bangladesh’s agitation in line with the alliance’s central decision,” BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told The Daily Star yesterday.
Asked whether the alliance will extend support to such agitations by Islamist groups in other parts of the country, Mosharraf said, “Right now, I can’t say what we will do in future … But it is an indication that the same thing will happen in other areas.”
Mosharraf added, “The Mancha is working as a platform of the government.”
Another senior BNP leader, however, said the opposition alliance will extend support to Islamist groups to foil the Gonojagoron Mancha’s next rally in Sylhet and also that in other parts of the country.
IN FAVOUR OF HARTAL
The BNP has opted for more hartals than other agitation programmes in the coming days to gear up its one-point movement to dislodge the government.
As per its strategy, the alliance may go for a three-day hartal after a two-day shutdown on March 18 and 19, BNP sources said.
It is clear that the government will not meet the opposition demand for release of all detained opposition men by Thursday, and therefore, the two-day
s hartal will be enforced, they said.
Considering the situation before and after March 18-19, the alliance might enforce another spell of hartal, said a senior BNP leader, wishing anonymity.
At the two recent meetings of the standing committee of BNP, party Chairperson Khaleda Zia asked the opposition leaders to intensify the anti-government movement.
“The BNP chief considers hartal as the most effective agitation programme. One or two leaders at the standing committee meetings spoke for enforcing other agitation programmes. But she spoke for enforcement of hartal,” the BNP leader said.
Asked about this, Khandaker Mosharraf said hartal and road blockade — the two major agitation programmes– are being enforced in agitations in Bangladesh.
“After the enforcement of hartal on March 18 and 19, we will decide the next course of action, analysing the situation,” Mosharraf said.
Another senior BNP leader said that the party on Monday night wanted to call hartal for March 13 and 14 too. But it refrained from doing so on request from pro-BNP lawyers as the Supreme Court Bar Association goes to two-day polls today, he added.
After release from police custody yesterday, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also said the opposition would go for tougher agitation in the coming days.
It has taken the decision as it considers the Gonojagoron Mancha “a major challenge’ to the BNP-led 18-party alliance’s one-point movement to topple the government, sources in the BNP said.
Under the banner of 18-party alliance, the main opposition party also wants to “expose” the Mancha as a platform sponsored by the ruling Awami League and the government, the sources added.
Since the beginning of the rise of youths on February 5 following a war crimes tribunal verdict on Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah, the BNP was in a quandary. Its leaders had made confusing statements about the protests. But finally it has taken up a strategy to use Islamic sentiments to counter the Gonojagoron Mancha.
In line with its strategy, the opposition alliance at a rally in Chittagong city on Monday extended its support to radical Islamists who threatened to foil today’s Gonojagoron Mancha rally there.
Hefazate Islam Bangladesh, a qaumi madrasa-based Islamist organisation, has threatened to foil the rally in the port city, protesting the “anti-Islam activities of the Shahbagh atheist bloggers.”
The 18-party alliance’s senior leader in Chittagong Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, also chief of port city unit of the BNP, announced at Monday’s rally the alliance’s support to the Islamists’ agitations against the Mancha.
“Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury announced the 18-party’s support to Hefazate Islam Bangladesh’s agitation in line with the alliance’s central decision,” BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told The Daily Star yesterday.
Asked whether the alliance will extend support to such agitations by Islamist groups in other parts of the country, Mosharraf said, “Right now, I can’t say what we will do in future … But it is an indication that the same thing will happen in other areas.”
Mosharraf added, “The Mancha is working as a platform of the government.”
Another senior BNP leader, however, said the opposition alliance will extend support to Islamist groups to foil the Gonojagoron Mancha’s next rally in Sylhet and also that in other parts of the country.
IN FAVOUR OF HARTAL
The BNP has opted for more hartals than other agitation programmes in the coming days to gear up its one-point movement to dislodge the government.
As per its strategy, the alliance may go for a three-day hartal after a two-day shutdown on March 18 and 19, BNP sources said.
It is clear that the government will not meet the opposition demand for release of all detained opposition men by Thursday, and therefore, the two-day
s hartal will be enforced, they said.
Considering the situation before and after March 18-19, the alliance might enforce another spell of hartal, said a senior BNP leader, wishing anonymity.
At the two recent meetings of the standing committee of BNP, party Chairperson Khaleda Zia asked the opposition leaders to intensify the anti-government movement.
“The BNP chief considers hartal as the most effective agitation programme. One or two leaders at the standing committee meetings spoke for enforcing other agitation programmes. But she spoke for enforcement of hartal,” the BNP leader said.
Asked about this, Khandaker Mosharraf said hartal and road blockade — the two major agitation programmes– are being enforced in agitations in Bangladesh.
“After the enforcement of hartal on March 18 and 19, we will decide the next course of action, analysing the situation,” Mosharraf said.
Another senior BNP leader said that the party on Monday night wanted to call hartal for March 13 and 14 too. But it refrained from doing so on request from pro-BNP lawyers as the Supreme Court Bar Association goes to two-day polls today, he added.
After release from police custody yesterday, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also said the opposition would go for tougher agitation in the coming days.
Courtesy: The Daily Star
