BNP to ensure their presence on streets from Nov 7

The BNP plans to maintain a sustained presence on the streets starting November 7 to put pressure on the interim government to hold the next general election within a reasonable time and to foil any attempt to destabilise the country, insiders said.

On that that, the party will organise programmes nationwide to mark the National Revolution and Solidarity Day.

The BNP has already announced a 10-day programme, including a rally in the capital on November 8, on the occasion of the day. Rallies will also take place in the district towns and divisional cities.

For more than a decade, the party has been unable to "properly" commemorate the day due to the obstacles created by successive previous Awami League governments.

Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians freed then army chief Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment on November 7, 1975, paving the way for his rise to power. Zia subsequently founded the BNP.

BNP leaders said the situation this year is pretty similar as students and mass people ousted the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina in August. The former premier had to flee in the face of a mass uprising.

"We were prevented from observing the day [November 7] till last year. The day is very important for the nation. In 1975, people were freed from the misrule of the then government. This year, people have been freed again from a fascist regime. So, we want to observe the day with the people of the country," Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, a member of the BNP standing committee, told The Daily Star last night.

Party sources said that the BNP held the last rally on November 7 in front of the party's Nayapaltan headquarters in presence of Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Since then, the party had to hold a programme on November 8 or a later date instead of November 7.

Khaleda was present at the November 7 rally at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan on November 12, 2017.

This year, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman will address the nation on the occasion of the National Revolution and Solidarity Day. Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has already demanded the reinstatement of the public holiday on November 7.

According to insiders, the BNP's street programmes will continue till the next parliamentary polls so that none can destabilise the interim government.

"Our leaders and activists will be on the streets to press home the demand for holding the next general election within a reasonable time," said a senior BNP leader.

Party leaders said that a quarter was recently trying to create an anarchic situation in the country over the removal of the president. However, the BNP took a firm stance and said that it does not want any situation which may delay the next election.

They said that such attempts may be made again and that is why the party leaders and activists should remain on the streets.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said they were prevented from observing November 7 for more than a decade, but this time they intend to celebrate the day with the people.

"We want to restore democracy in the country just as our party founder Ziaur Rahman introduced multi-party democracy," he told The Daily Star.