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'Oikyafront to realise demands through movement'


'Oikyafront to realise demands through movement'

Bangladesh Nationalist Party - BNP  secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday (Nov 9) said Jatiyo Oikyafront will have to realise its demands through a movement as the “political crisis has deepened” with the announcement of the election schedule without releasing their Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia from jail.

Jatiyo Oikyafront arranged the rally at Madrasah Maidan in Rajshahi to mobilise public support in favour of the alliance’s various demands for holding the 11th parliamentary elections in a fair and credible manner, local media reports said.

Gono Forum President and Jatiyo Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain was supposed to address the rally as the chief guest, but he could not join the rally due to his reported illness.

He, however, briefly addressed the rally using the technology and strongly denounced the hurried announcement of the election schedule by the Election Commission.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President ASM Abdur Rob said their alliance wants to go to polls, but their demands must be accepted.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Oli Ahmad said they still did not take any decision whether they will join the polls or boycott it.

Krishak Sramik Janata League president Kader Siddiqui urged all to get united under the banner of Oikyafront to have Khaleda Zia freed from jail.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said no election will be “allowed” in the country without the participation of Khaleda Zia, BNP and Jatiyo Oikyafront.

Another BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said they have tried to resolve the political problem through talks and avoid violence. But the dialogue “was not successful” as the government “doesn’t want to quit power.”

He said all should get prepared so that the government cannot hold another January-5 like election.

Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the government does not want to hold a “credible” election “fearing its miserable defeat.”

The rally activities formally started in the noon. BNP chairperson’s adviser Mizanur Rahman Minu presided over the rally.

It was the fourth rally of the Jatiyo Oikyafront as the alliance held rallies in Sylhet, Chattogram and capital Dhaka on Oct 24, 27 and Nov 6 respectively.

Thousands of leaders and activists started gathering at the rally venue since monring. They chanted various slogans demanding Khaleda’s release from jail.

Huge law enforcers were deployed around the rally venue to maintain law and order.

The Jatiyo Oikyafront’s seven-point demand includes installation of a neutral interim government, dissolution of parliament, reconstitution of the Election Commission, release of all the political prisoners, deployment of army and cancellation of the move to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for holding the next polls in a fair and acceptable manner.

On Oct 13, BNP together with Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiyo Oikyo Prokriya, JSD and Nagorik Oikya launched the Jatiyo Oikyafront to press for their seven-point demand.

Later, Krishak Sramik Janata League, led by Kader Siddiqui, joined the alliance.

Gono Forum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and Jatiyo Oikyafront leader Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, BNP chairperson’s adviser and Rajshahi divisional coordinator of Jatiyo Oikyafront Mizanur Rahman Minu, BNP standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, BNP vice-chairman Barkatullah Bulu, BNP chairperson's adviser Habibur Rahman Habib and Bangladesh Labour Party chairman Dr Mostafizur Rahman, among others, spoke at the rally.

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