As part of the ongoing simultaneous movement against the current government, a rally of BNP began in front of its Nayapaltan central office with the participation of a huge number of leaders and activists of the party and its associated bodies. The rally formally began around 2:30 pm with recitation from the holy Quran. The organisers said the programme is meant for registering a protest against the introduction of one-party Baksal rule by Awami League on this day in 1975, rise in the prices of power and gas and mounting pressure on the government to accept their 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party caretaker government. Read more: People won't accept 'democracy of BAKSAL': Fakhrul Hundreds of party leaders and activists started gathering at the venue in small processions since noon, halting traffic in the area that caused public suffering. An adequate number of law enforcers have been deployed in and around the rally venue to fend off any untoward incident. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will announce the next course of action from the rally. Apart from BNP, other like-minded opposition parties, alliances and organisations are also observing a similar programme in Dhaka and other divisional cities and district towns on Wednesday as part of the simultaneous movement to oust the current government. Meanwhile, Ganatantra Mancha and Ganatantrik Bam Oikya held separate rallies in front of the Jatiya Press Club and announced a countrywide demonstration programme for February 4. BNP is likely to announce a similar programme for the same day from its rally. Read more: No more mockery in the name of election to be allowed: Fakhrul Besides, the 12-Party Alliance is holding a rally near Bijoy Nagar Water Tank while Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote in front of the Jatiya Press at and LDP at FDC Crossing. It is the fourth programme of the simultaneous movement after the mass procession in December 30, sit-in on January 11 and rally and procession on January 16.

Although BNP has launched a simultaneous movement with more than four dozen parties and organisations to realise their 10-point demand, political analysts are skeptical about the ability of most of the parties to contribute to street programmes due to the lack of their organisational strength and popular public support. They said making alliances with many small parties is just a number game in the politics of Bangladesh, but only three to four parties have the organisational capacity and popularity to show their strength on the streets. The analysts, however, said some small parties now on the simultaneous movement with BNP have few leaders, including LDP president Oli Ahmed, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president ASM Abdur Rob, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Biplabi Workers Party general secretary Saiful Haque, Ganasanghati Andolon’s chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, Gana Adhikar Parishads convener Reza Kibria, member secretary, Nurul Haque Nur, Kalyan Party chairman Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, and Gonoforum leaders Mostafa Mohsin Montu, Dr Abu Sayeed and Subrata Chowdhury, who have a face value and can play a role in shaping public opinion. They also said Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami still has a base across the country, and it can play a role in the movement. But they say that the success of the simultaneous movement will mainly depend on BNP while the other parties will work as a morale booster for it and justify its demands. After two rounds of talks with political parties, BNP on December 10 last year announced to launch the simultaneous movement with a 10-point demand, including the resignation of the current government and holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government. Earlier on August 8, seven opposition organisations Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob), Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party, Gonosamhati Andolon, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Bhasani Onusari Parishad and Rastra Sangskar Andolon floated Ganatantra Mancha, a new political platform and announced to join the movement with BNP. Read more: 12-party alliance formed to support BNP’s movement On December 22, 12 political partners of the 20-party alliance--Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar), Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Dal, NDP, Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party (LDP-Selim), Bangladesh Muslim League, Jamiat- Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, Islami Oikya Jote, Jagpa (Tasmia Prodhan), Islamic Party, and Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal-- formed a new alliance dissolving the 20-party to carry out a movement alongside the BNP and realise the 10-point demand. Another new political platform, “Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote”, comprising 11 parties was launched on December 28 to strengthen the simultaneous movement.  The parties in the new 11-party alliance are National People's Party-NPP, Jagpa (Khandkar Lutfur), Democratic League (DL), Bangladesh NAP, Bikalpa Dhara (Nurul Amin), Samyabadi Dal, Gano Dal, NAP-Bhasani, Islami Oikya Jote, People's League and Bangladesh Minority Janata Party. Islami Oikyajot and Samyabadi Dal are there in the two new alliances. On January 3, Ganatantrik Bam Oikya, a leftist political platform of four parties— Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist, Social Democratic Party, Samajtantrik Majdur Party and Progressive Democratic Party—also announced to join the movement with BNP. On January 8, another new anti-government platform, “Samamona Ganatantrik Jote” (Like-minded Democratic Alliance) comprising 15 organisations was launched to join the simultaneous movement. The members of the newly formed alliance include Youth Forum, Zia Nagorik Sangsad, Democratic Movement, Shaheed Zia Ainjibi Parishad, Jatiyatabadi Nagorik Dal, Bangladesh Justice Party, Constitution Preservation Parishad, Ganatantra Raksha Mancha, Chalak Dal, Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha '71, Ghure Dharo Bangladesh, Movement for Democracy, Bangladesh Democratic Council, Desh Raksha Manush Bachao Andolan and Bangladesh Jubo Oikya Parishad. Besides, Jamaat, LDP (Oli) and Gonoforum (Montu) also announced joint simultaneous movement. Of all these parties, only LDP (Oli) JSD-Rob, Biplobi Workers Party, Kalyan Party and Bangladesh Muslim League are registered with the Election Commission (EC).  Read more: New anti-govt platform 'Samamona Ganatantrik Jote' launched Two programmes --mass rally and mass sit-in--of the simultaneous movement have so far been observed on December, 24,  30 and January 11 respectively, but the presence of leaders and workers of these parties and alliances was very poor.  It’s a meaningless number game Shusashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) Secretary and political analyst Badiul Alam Majumdar said it is the reality in Bangladesh that most of the political parties, except for three-four ones, are name-only organisations run by some individuals who have a face value. “It’s also our tradition to increase the size of alliances with such small parties. You can call it a meaningless number game. But only a few parties, especially Awami League and BNP are the key players in the politics of Bangladesh,” he said. Majumdar said BNP may feel good that many parties are with them, no matter what their organisational capacities are. “But only a few of them can play some sort of role in the movement.” He also said the success of the simultaneous movement mainly depends on how much strength BNP can demonstrate and how effective strategy the party can adopt. Number matters in politics  Prof Mahbubullah, a pro-BNP intellectual and a former teacher at the Dhaka University, said the unity of the political parties--small and bigger ones--is now crucial to overcoming the current situation of the country and restoring people’s voting rights. “The size of the alliance matters in politics. Unite the many to defeat the few is an effective political philosophy to make political gains. So, one should not ignore the number of the political parties that have got united to realise public demands,” he observed. Read more: New political alliance “Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote” launched The political analyst said there are many parties with BNP that may have not that much popularity and organisational strength, but some of their leaders have acceptability and face value. “They also have an influence among the people and they can help create public opinion.” “These parties don’t have huge supporters like the major ones, but they are also democratic forces. You may see their very thin presence on the streets, but their collective efforts can strengthen the movement for realising popular public demands,” he viewed. Unity among many parties has a value Prof Dilara Chowdhury, a former teacher of the Department of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University, said there are many parties with BNP’s simultaneous movement which do not have big workforces, but there are many national figures in those parties who matter in politics. “If these parties take to the streets simultaneously, it can boost up BNP’s moral strength. So, you can’t ignore the value of unity among so many political parties,” she observed. Besides, the political analysts said around 50 parties and organisations are now taking to the streets with BNP demanding the next election be held under a non-party caretaker government. “So, the number matters here when it comes to who is against the polls under a partisan government.” Read more: Quader to BNP: Ditch caretaker dream, prepare for election Prof Dilara said many common people are increasingly taking part in BNP’s current political rallies and programmes. “I am observing that BNP is seriously making efforts to turn around. The way BNP’s grassroots have been demonstrating strengths despite being subjected to various repressive acts is a very positive sign.”

BNP and other like-minded opposition parties, alliances and organisations are set to observe a mass sit-in programme in Dhaka and other divisions in the county as part of the simultaneous movement to unseat the current government. The four-hour programme will be observed from 10am to 2pm separately by the opposition parties and the organistaions to realise their 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government. It will be the second programme of the simultaneous movement after the mass procession by the 33 opposition parties on December 30. Read more: BNP’s 27 points parts of anti-govt movement: Amir Khosru BNP policymakers said the programme was worked out for January 11 keeping in mind the political changeover that took place on that day in 2007 - an episode popularly known as 1/11 in the country. Meanwhile, BNP vice chairman Dr AZM Zahid Hossain along with party law affairs secretary Kaiser Kamal met Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq on Tuesday evening. Coming out of the DMP office around 7:20pm, Dr Zahid said they got permission for observing the sit-in programme in front of their party’s Nayapaltan central office from 10-am to 2pm. DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq said they urged BNP to observe the programme keeping traffic normal. "They (BNP) have to take the responsibility if there is a disruption in traffic." BNP senior leaders, including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Mirza Abbas, will address the programme. Besides, Ganatantra Mancha will hold the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club while the 12-Party Alliance at Bijoy Nagar Water Tank, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote at Purana Paltan, LDP at FDC Crossing and Ganatantrik Bam Oikya in the east side of the Jatiya Press Club and Gonoforum (Montu) at Arambagh. Though Bangladesh Jamaat Islami joined the mass procession programme with BNP and other parties on December 30, the Islamist party has decided not to observe the sit-in programme due to a strategic region, said a senior leader of the party. After the sit-in, the opposition parties and alliances are likely to announce fresh programmes to intensify the simultaneous movement. Besides, BNP senior leaders will take part in the mass sit-in programme in different divisions. Read more: Restoring people’s ownership of country is BNP’s main challenge: Mosharraf As per the plan of BNP, party standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy will lead the programme in Sylhet Division while Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan in Rajshahi, Nazrul Islam Khan in Mymensingh, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in Chattogram, Selima Rahman in Barisal, and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku in Rangpur, Vice-Chairmen Barkat Ullah Bulu in Comilla, Shamsuzzaman Dudu in Khulna and Advocate Ahmad Azam Khan in Faridpur. Earlier on December 30, BNP and 32 other like-minded opposition parties staged a mass procession programme in different parts of the capital and Rangpur city as the first programme of the simultaneous movement. They also separately announced the sit-in programmes across the country for January 11 as their next course of action, to press home their 10-point demand, including the resignation of the current government and formation of a polls-time caretaker government. 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 and Rangpur city polls, BNP rescheduled the same programme in Dhaka and Rangpur for December 30.

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. Read more: 12-party alliance formed to support BNP’s movement 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. Read more: New political alliance “Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote” launched The members of the delegation of Jamaat are  Advocate Saifur Rahman, Advocate Jalal Uddin and Advocate Golam Rahman.