Photo : Messenger
After 53 consecutive days of agitation, boycotting the 12th parliamentary elections, and now calling for a 'non-cooperation' movement, the grassroots leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) themselves have doubts about its implementation.
The party's recent programmes have been loosely organised due to police activity and the absence of party leaders in the field. Therefore, the party's grassroots leaders and activists have expressed apprehension about the programme's implementation.
However, BNP leaders claim that they were present in the field. Although some covered their heads to avoid arrest, they later entered the field. They also said that everyone would participate in the non-cooperation movement.
In the midst of the ongoing situation, the party's senior joint general secretary, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, called on the countrymen to boycott the January 7 'dummy' election and the non-cooperation movement in a virtual press conference on behalf of the party on Wednesday. Besides, he announced mass communication from Thursday to Saturday and another blockade on Sunday.
Calling on officials and employees engaged in polling to refrain from fulfilling their duties, he said that all kinds of taxes, rents, utility bills, and banks should be avoided as much as possible, as banks are one of the means of looting the government. Those accused in false and absentee cases, including political leaders, should refrain from appearing in court.
Rizvi also mentioned that if a true democratic government is established in the country through people's movement, the victims of this non-cooperation will receive proper compensation and justice. The victory of the people's democratic movement and struggle is inevitable.
He said that they would thwart this dirty game by boycotting the seat-sharing election and sticking to the just demand for the restoration of democracy. If the government fails in all areas due to the people's non-cooperation, it will be forced to hold a free, fair, and participatory election.
It has been reported that the BNP has enforced a 22-day blockade in 11 phases and a five-day hartal programme in four phases to demand the resignation of the government and elections under a non-partisan neutral government. Like-minded people with the party were also in the field in the same programme.
The party's secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, was the first to be arrested in connection with the killing of a police constable in a clash on the day of the mass meeting on October 28. BNP claims that more than 20,000 leaders and activists have already been arrested, including some top leaders.
The party was on strike for 53 days with a break of one or two days, but it was observed loosely. The programme did not take place in most places, as most of the party or organisation leaders were separated from the party workers due to heavy police activity. BNP's only hope was the ‘jhatika’ (sudden) rally, especially in the capital. However, some small groups or alliances like-minded with the party held regular programmes in the Press Club-Paltan area.
Meanwhile, after the announcement of the non-cooperation programme, it is said that, after talking to the party's leaders and activists at various levels, there is a kind of frustration among them because the previous programme was not implemented properly. As the senior leaders are not in the field and in the midst of police activity, they are in doubt about how much the activists will go to the field.
When The Daily Messenger contacted several grassroots leaders and activists in Jessore, Satkhira, Sylhet, Chittagong, Cumilla, and Rajshahi, most of them expressed doubts about the results of the non-cooperation movement. However, none of them wanted to be named for fear of losing party rank.
Grassroots leaders and activists feel that if the leaders do not enter the field seriously, then eventually many of them will not show the courage to enter the field. They alleged that most of them are now out of touch with the leaders who are in hiding. Leaders are only active on social media but are not seen in the field.
BNP’s executive committee member and member secretary of Jessore District BNP, Advocate Syed Saberul Haque Sabu, told The Daily Messenger that, in fact, numerous cases have been filed in the name of all the leaders active in the field at the district and upazila levels. Therefore, many leaders have worked differently even though they are less in the field. Reluctant to accept that the activists are not in the field, he said that everyone will go to the field simultaneously in the non-cooperation programme.
Begum Selima Rahman, a member of BNP's standing committee, told The Daily Messenger, “BNP's non-cooperation movement will involve all levels of leaders and activists. This time non-cooperation means real 'non-cooperation.' People will gradually stop everything.”
She also said that on December 10, International Human Rights Day, and on December 16, Victory Day, most of the leaders of the party who were in hiding all over the country, including Dhaka, came to the field. Therefore, the activists will stand on the field even in the non-cooperation movement.
She also claimed that there is no doubt about the implementation of the programme.
Messenger/Disha
