Shawdesh desk:

Most opposition parties appear to have been preparing for a final push to press home their demand for the resignation of the Awami League government, handing over power to a party-natural administration to hold the next general elections.

The parties, including the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, will hold rallies in Dhaka on July 27 to press home their demands, which also include the dissolution of the parliament and reconstitution of the election commission.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh was the latest party to announce a rally in Dhaka on July 27 demanding the government’s resignation.

The party made the announcement amid brewing political tensions as both the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP announced a rally and counter-rally on the same day in Dhaka.

Confirming their programme, IAB spokesperson Shahidul Islam Kabir said that they would hold Thursday’s rally at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 2:30pm.

He said that they would hold the rally to demand the government’s resignation, the abolition of the Election Commission, the dissolution of the parliament to address the current political crisis, and the establishment of fair and impartial election under a national government.

The BNP earlier announced a grand rally in the city on July 27 to press home their one-point demand, while some 36 political parties simultaneously also announced rallies in the city with the same demand.

The Awami League’s three affiliated organisations—the Juba League, Chhatra League, and Swechchasebak League—will hold ‘peace rally’ at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 3:00pm on the same day.

Addressing a view exchange meeting with Dhaka city leaders at the party’s Bangabandhu Avenue central office, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader alleged that the BNP was bringing arms across the border to create conflict around the upcoming national election.

For this reason, he urged party leaders to remain active until the election.

‘BNP wants to come to power with the power of arms. We have received news that they are bringing arms through the Chapainawabganj border. BNP will create conflict if it gets an empty field. Everyone knows it. They are making that preparation,’ Quader said.

Addressing a discussion in Dhaka, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that Obaidul Quader’s statement was part of a new conspiracy to stop the opposition party’s democratic movement.

‘Having said all this, if the Awami League uses any weapon against the people, the government will have to take all responsibility,’ he said.

Alleging that the Awami League was deliberately trying to spread violence across the country, he said that the Awami League rescheduled their July 24 programme to July 27 to create violence.

Fakhrul asked the authorities concerned to help the BNP hold its grand rally in a peaceful manner; otherwise, the authorities, as well as the government, would be responsible.

‘This is not only the demand of the BNP, but the demand of the entire people. Today, I saw the speech of Mujahidul Islam Selim of the Communist Party in the newspaper…he is clearly saying that the government should resign immediately, resigning would pave the way for fair elections. Pir Saheb of Charmonai’s party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, is clearly saying that there cannot be any fair election under this government,’ Fakhrul said.

He said that the Jatiya Party, who has worked in parliament for some time, has also clearly said that there is no election under this government, selection is under this government. ‘So there is none but the ruling party left in this country who thinks that there can be any fair election under this government,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Tuesday sought police permission to hold a rally in the capital on August 1 demanding a free, fair, and credible general election under a caretaker government.

A Jamaat delegation went to Dhaka Metropolitan Police headquarters with an application for permission.

On Monday, the party announced countrywide programmes demanding a free, fair, and credible general election under a caretaker government.

The programmes include a grand rally in Dhaka on August 1 and processions in all cities on July 28 and in all district headquarters on July 30.

Syed Mamun Mostafa, a special assistant to the DMP commissioner, said that they had received Jamaat’s application but no decision had been made yet.

Jamaat delegation chief Saifur Rahman said that the party wants to hold a rally in front of the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 2:00pm on August 1.

The party submitted the application seeking police support and security for the rally, he said.

Ganatantra Mancha leaders, in a discussion on Tuesday, alleged that the government fears the collapse of Dhaka on July 27.

The Mancha organised the discussion at the National Press Club. Speaking at the event, Nagorika Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna said that the government was afraid that Dhaka might become immobile.

‘Before the opposition party meeting in the past, the government itself stopped the buses and brought Dhaka to a standstill,’ he added.

Ganatantra Mancha, the 11-party alliance Jatiyatabadi Samamana Jote, the Liberal Democratic Party, Gono Forum, Gana Odhikar Parishad, the four-party Democratic Left Alliance, the Bangladesh Labour Party, the 12-party alliance, Samamana Ganatantrik Peshajibi Jote, and the Bangladesh Sadaran Chatra Odhikar Sangrakhan Parishad, and a few other parties and groups, have already announced rallies in Dhaka city on July 27.

BNP or any of its allies have not announced the venue for their rallies yet.