33 opposition parties set to take out mass processions in Dhaka

As part of the simultaneous movement to unseat the current government, BNP and other opposition parties and alliances are set to take out mass processions in different places of the capital on Friday.

They will also observe the day as “Black Day” marking the anniversary of the 11th parliamentary election held on December 30, 2018.

As per the schedules, BNP will bring out a procession at Naya Paltan while Ganatantra Mancha in front of the Jatiya Press Club, 12-Party Alliance at Fakirerpool Water Tank, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote at Purana Paltan Crossing, LDP at FDC Crossing and Jamaat Islami at Baitul Mukarram Mosque’s North Gate.

After the procession, the opposition parties and alliances are likely to announce fresh programmes to intensify the simultaneous movement.

BNP standing committee members sat in a meeting on Thursday afternoon to work out the next course of action. A party standing committee member, wishing anonymity, said they may announce a sit-in programme as the next programme of the simultaneous movement.

Around 33 like-minded political parties, including the BNP, are going to hold the mass-procession programme in the capital to push for the 10-point demand, including the resignation of the government, dissolution of parliament, transfer of power to a non-partisan caretaker government and formation of a new election commission.

Earlier on December 24, BNP held the mass-procession programme in all divisional cities and district headquarters.

Due to the national council programme of the ruling Awami League, BNP rescheduled the same programme for December 30.

Meanwhile, BNP Vice Chairman Professor AZM Zahid Hossain said at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office on Thursday that their mass procession programme will be held peacefully.

"Our party leaders and activists will gather in front of the Nayapaltan office and bring out the procession at 2pm,” he said.

Zahid said their procession will end at Nayapaltan after parading different roads through Bijoynagar, Kakrail, Shantinagar, Malibagh and Moghbazar intersections.

He said that they have already received permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner to hold a mass procession up to Moghbazar from Nayapaltan.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, the leader of Ganatantra Mancha and the president of Nagrik Oikya, said they will bring out the procession in front of the Jatiya Press Club at 11am.

Mostafa Jamal Haider, the leader of the 12-party alliance and the chairman of the Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) said their leaders and workers will gather near the water tank at Fakirerpool at 2:30pm to take out the procession towards Bijoynagar.

Fariduzzaman Farhad, the coordinator of the Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote and the chairman of the National People’s Party (NPP) said that they will start the procession from Purana Paltan intersection at 2:30pm.

Leaders of LDP and Jamaat-e-Islami said they will hold the mass procession programme separately as they are not in any alliance.

Salah Uddin Razzak, the joint secretary general of LDP, said they will take out the procession from their central office near FDC around 2:30pm.

Meanwhile, a three-member delegation of Jamaat went to the DMP office on Thursday afternoon seeking permission to bring out a mass procession from in front of the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 3:30pm.

The members of the delegation of Jamaat are Advocate Saifur Rahman, Advocate Jalal Uddin and Advocate Golam Rahman.