Country’s main opposition party is looking for a way to launch a synchronised movement that is similar to the early 90s protest against then president Hussain Muhammad Ershad.
The aim of the party is to 'restore' democracy, people's voting rights, ensure a credible national election and free its chief Khaleda Zia from jail by involving all the registered opposition parties, including the left-leaning ones in the movement.
"BNP has already contacted many parties and got a good response from some of them," party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said during an interview with UNB on Saturday.
He, however, said the nature of the simultaneous movement will be peaceful with innovative programmes to mount pressure on the government to accept their demands through mobilising huge public opinions.
"We're trying to create a national consensus and a political understanding among all the opposition parties, especially those registered with the Election Commission. We've contacted many parties to create a greater unity. A strong unity among the opposition parties like that of the early 90s is now very crucial. It's not only the BNP now in problem, but also the entire nation and all political parties. So, all should come forward to overcome it," the BNP leader said.
He said some important parties responded well to their proposal for waging a simultaneous movement. "We're very hopeful about it. But it's still very difficult to say any specific time and date to formally launch it."
Fakhrul, however, said they will continue to take to the streets with peaceful programmes to keep their party men in an upbeat mood and create pressure on the government to release Khaleda from jail, reports UNB.
"We're working out some innovative programmes to continue our movement in a peaceful manner."
Asked what they will do if the government does not release Khaleda in the face of their peaceful movement, he said, "The government will dig its own grave if it tries to prolong her stay in jail as people won't accept it for a long time and they'll spontaneously take to the streets someday to express their pent-up mood."
He said they have a plan to hold some public rallies in different districts after making Thursday's scheduled one in the capital a success to mobilise public opinions against Khaleda's jailing and invigorate their grassroots leaders and activists.
Replying to a question what challenges they are now facing after their chairperson was sent to jail, the BNP secretary general said her absence is surely a big blow to the party. "But, BNP has fortunately turned around and got united at this bad time under the leadership of our acting chairman Tarique Rahman."
Though Tarique is in London, he said, their standing committee members are working out party action programmes and strategies in consultation with him. "We're announcing peaceful programmes which people are appreciating. But, the government is trying to push us towards violence. They're obstructing our programmes and arresting our party men."
Asked whether they will join the next polls keeping Khaleda in jail, he said they want to believe that their party will go to the next polls with their chairperson. "Now we're not thinking about the next polls as our main focus is to free her from jail. We'll decide about joining the election later."
Replying to another question, Fakhrul said they are routinely briefing diplomats about the country's emerging political situations and keeping close contact with them. "Many countries like the USA and the UK expressed their deep concerns during meetings with us over our leader's jailing."
He said they are least bothered about which country is saying what as people are with them. "But, we want all the democratic countries, including India, to cooperate with us in restoring democracy and the voting right of people."
As his attention was drawn to public perception that BNP has not been in good term for long with India, Fakhrul said their party has no problem with India and now it has nice relations with the neighbouring country. "As a close neighbour and the largest democratic country, we hope India will support us in resorting people's voting rights and establishing a pro-people and democratic government."
Asked to evaluate the performance of the Election Commission which completed its one year on February 15, he said it has miserably failed to perform its responsibilities, mainly in holding the Dhaka North City Corporation polls.
Sought his comment on Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda's recent remark that the next polls will not be inclusive without the participation of a major party like BNP, Fakhrul said he do not want to talk about any individual of the Commission. "We've no opposition to any particular person of the Commission. We're unhappy over the formation of the entire Commission as we think many of them are not impartial."
Responding to another question whether their party thinks the current Commission is capable of holding a credible national election, he replied in the negative. "They couldn't yet prove their neutrality and competence."