A group of BNP grassroots leaders on Wednesday urged the party policymakers to devise a well-thought-out plan and time-befitting strategy to outsmart the government through an effective movement for a credible national election.
In a closed-door meeting, they also said it will not be possible to succeed by waging a movement in the same style of the 90s and 2013 as they fear the government will come up with a new strategy to win the 12th parliamentary election with the help of administration.
A party leader, who was present at the meeting, also said most of the grassroots leaders opined that the party's all units and associate bodies should be overhauled by incorporating dedicated and active leaders.
He said they called upon the party high-command not to join any election under the current government and take effective steps to bring the opposition political parties under a single platform to realise their demand for the restoration of election-time neutral government.
Read: BNP policymakers in another closed-door meeting
As part of their second phase of series meetings with the grassroots leaders, BNP top leaders sat with its executive committee members under Chattogram, Cumilla, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions on the second day today (Wednesday).
Party sources said 85 leaders participated in the meeting and 63 of them gave their opinions about how BNP should get ready for an anti-government movement and the next general election.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku was present at the meeting. Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined it from London.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said they had nearly a six-hour-long meeting where party leaders talked about how to get rid of the current ‘despotic’ rule and establish people’s rights.
He said they discussed the issues relating to national politics, the country’s current situation and BNP’s organisational matters.
BNP policymakers will also hold the third meeting with members of the executive committee under Khulna, Rajshahi and Barishal divisions on Thursday.
Read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
On Tuesday, the BNP top leaders had a meeting with party’s executive committee members under Dhaka and Faridpur organisational divisions.
Earlier, the BNP policymakers had three closed-door meetings with party vice-chairmen, advisory council members, joint secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries and secretaries and top leaders of the party’s different associate bodies last week.
The meetings were held as part of the party’s planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action ahead of the next general election.
BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.