The ruling BNP has decided to remain active in field with political programmes ahead of the victory month of December, without taking up counter-programmes or establishing vigilant guards against any party.
Alongside the party, its three affiliate organisations – Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, and Swecchasebak Dal – will observe separate month-long programmes. Through these initiatives, the top leadership aims to keep the party and its affiliate bodies active and energised.
The decision came on Sunday during a nearly two-hour meeting between top leaders of the party and three affiliate organisations and Tarique Rahman, prime minister and BNP chairman, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jatiya Sangsad.
The meeting was attended by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, acting secretary-general of the BNP, and five joint secretaries-general of the party – Shahid Uddin Chowdhury, Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Imran Saleh Prince, and Abdus Salam.
Conveners and member secretaries of Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, and Dhaka Metropolitan North and South BNP were also present there.
BNP made this decision amidst various activities by leaders and activists of the activities banned Awami League and its associate organisations in different parts of the country, following the announcement of Sheikh Hasina – who was ousted in the July mass uprising and took refuge in India – to return to the country in December.
Meeting sources said Tarique instructed the BNP and its affiliate organisations to formulate separate programmes and stay active in the field. However, these activities will not serve as counter-programmes against any party or faction.
Similarly, no programme will be taken up to set up neighbourhood guards to block political activities, as the Awami League had done in the past to resist BNP programmes.
According to sources, the planned political activities include protest marches, processions, sit-ins, and cultural events.
BNP and the three affiliate organisations will announce their respective programmes independently. Additionally, BNP-backed professional organisations have been directed to remain active in the field with separate programmes.
Having assumed power after a long period in opposition politics and movement, the BNP leadership now seeks to boost the organisational activities of the party and its associate bodies through a series of political programmes centred around the victory month.
