Programmes marking January 5 election

AL, BNP renew row

BNP plans black flag procession, says Rizvi Program won’t be allowed, says Hanif

Tension mounts up just days ahead of the third anniversary of the 10th parliamentary election as arch rivals Awami League (AL) and the BNP have again announced programmes over the anniversary of January 5 polls that was boycotted by the BNP. On the one hand, central leaders of the ruling AL have claimed that the country would have been ruled by a military-backed government without holding of the 10th parliamentary poll. That is why they will observe January 5 as “Victory Day for Democracy”.
However, BNP leaders say that they will observe the January 5 in befitting manner by holding processions and rallies across the country while their arch rival AL leaders say that BNP would not be allowed to create anarchy in the country on the day in the name of holding political programmes.
AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif warned that BNP wouldn’t be allowed to hit the streets in the name of holding rallies centering ‘January 5,’ voting day of the 10th parliamentary elections.
“Those who kill people in the name of foiling elections, the country’s people will not allow them to create anarchy in the name of holding party programmes,” Hanif said. He was addressing a joint meeting organized by Dhaka south city unit AL at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in the city.
BNP Senior Joint General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi recently announced that they will take out a march carrying black flags on Jan 5 and hold a public rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan a day later.
Earlier, BNP Chief Khaleda Zia called for a nonstop blockade after her party was barred from staging demonstrations on Jan 5 last year.
The blockade unleashed massive violence that led to the death of more than 150 people. Unrest ensued when Khaleda was barred from leading demonstrations on the day in 2015, terming it “the murder of democracy day,” as opposed to the Awami League’s programme..
This year on Jan 5, she delivered a speech in front of her party headquarters in Naya Paltan while the ruling party carried out different activities at their headquarters at the Bangabandhu Avenue.
Meanwhile, the central leaders of the both political parties explained their stances why they want to observe the day (January 5) as their respective manner. AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said his party believed in the Constitution and democracy. “It would have been impossible for the country to remain democratic, had the AL-led government been complacent in arranging the general election on January 5, 2014.
The steps taken by the government actually saved the day for democracy,” he added. AL another joint general secretary Dipu Moni echoed this.
BNP leaders, on the other hand, alleged that that the ruling party had killed the country’s democracy by holding a one-sided election. Hence, they will observe January 5 as “Democracy Killing Day”. “The nation remembers the day with terror and sadness as the government had held a farcical poll in the name of democracy. We share our feelings with the nation on January 5 every year after that fateful day,” said BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf.
The former minister said despite electing 154 lawmakers, which is enough to form the government, the AL-led government had held a voter-less election on January 5 to stay in power. “The lesson of that day is that there is no alternative to democracy. There can be no democracy without voting rights,” he added.
BNP vice-chairman Maj. (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed alleged that the AL had held the January 5 election forcibly. Hence, participation in the election would not have brought any benefit for the BNP. “The voter-less election had exposed the real face of the AL to the people,” he added. Both political parties have chalked out separate programmes marking the third anniversary of the January 5 election.
The ruling AL has planned celebratory demonstrations at two places in the capital—one in Russel Square of Dhanmondi and the other near the party’s Bangabandhu Avenue office. Similar programmes will be held in the districts and upazilas across the country.  These programmes were planned at a joint meeting at a community programme in Dhaka last evening.
On the other hand, the BNP will observe January 5 by bringing out black flag processions across the country. The party will also hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on January 7.

 

Programmes marking January 5 election

AL, BNP renew row

BNP plans black flag procession, says Rizvi Program wont be allowed, says Hanif

Tension mounts up just days ahead of the third anniversary of the 10th parliamentary election as arch rivals Awami League (AL) and the BNP have again announced programmes over the anniversary of January 5 polls that was boycotted by the BNP. On the one hand, central leaders of the ruling AL have claimed that the country would have been ruled by a military-backed government without holding of the 10th parliamentary poll. That is why they will observe January 5 as Victory Day for Democracy. However, BNP leaders say that they will observe the January 5 in befitting manner by holding processions and rallies across the country while their arch rival AL leaders say that BNP would not be allowed to create anarchy in the country on the day in the name of holding political programmes. AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif warned that BNP wouldnt be allowed to hit the streets in the name of holding rallies centering January 5, voting day of the 10th parliamentary elections. Those who kill people in the name of foiling elections, the countrys people will not allow them to create anarchy in the name of holding party programmes, Hanif said. He was addressing a joint meeting organized by Dhaka south city unit AL at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in the city. BNP Senior Joint General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi recently announced that they will take out a march carrying black flags on Jan 5 and hold a public rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan a day later. Earlier, BNP Chief Khaleda Zia called for a nonstop blockade after her party was barred from staging demonstrations on Jan 5 last year. The blockade unleashed massive violence that led to the death of more than 150 people. Unrest ensued when Khaleda was barred from leading demonstrations on the day in 2015, terming it the murder of democracy day, as opposed to the Awami Leagues programme.. This year on Jan 5, she delivered a speech in front of her party headquarters in Naya Paltan while the ruling party carried out different activities at their headquarters at the Bangabandhu Avenue. Meanwhile, the central leaders of the both political parties explained their stances why they want to observe the day (January 5) as their respective manner. AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said his party believed in the Constitution and democracy. It would have been impossible for the country to remain democratic, had the AL-led government been complacent in arranging the general election on January 5, 2014. The steps taken by the government actually saved the day for democracy, he added. AL another joint general secretary Dipu Moni echoed this. BNP leaders, on the other hand, alleged that that the ruling party had killed the countrys democracy by holding a one-sided election. Hence, they will observe January 5 as Democracy Killing Day. The nation remembers the day with terror and sadness as the government had held a farcical poll in the name of democracy. We share our feelings with the nation on January 5 every year after that fateful day, said BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf. The former minister said despite electing 154 lawmakers, which is enough to form the government, the AL-led government had held a voter-less election on January 5 to stay in power. The lesson of that day is that there is no alternative to democracy. There can be no democracy without voting rights, he added. BNP vice-chairman Maj. (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed alleged that the AL had held the January 5 election forcibly. Hence, participation in the election would not have brought any benefit for the BNP. The voter-less election had exposed the real face of the AL to the people, he added. Both political parties have chalked out separate programmes marking the third anniversary of the January 5 election. The ruling AL has planned celebratory demonstrations at two places in the capitalone in Russel Square of Dhanmondi and the other near the partys Bangabandhu Avenue office. Similar programmes will be held in the districts and upazilas across the country. These programmes were planned at a joint meeting at a community programme in Dhaka last evening. On the other hand, the BNP will observe January 5 by bringing out black flag processions across the country. The party will also hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on January 7.