Roundup: Bangladeshi Ruling Party to Be Confronted with Opposition

The ruling Awami League (AL) and the opposition are in the line of confrontations as top leaders of both side asked party workers to retaliate if attacked ahead of the national election likely to be held in October this year.

Prime Minister and AL Chief Sheikh Hasina repeatedly asked the party rank and file to "instantly retaliate" any attack on them after transfer of power.

"Remain vigilant so that none can go unchallenged after any strike on us. If there is attack, go for retaliation," Hasina said recently at a marathon meeting of her party leaders and activists.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begum Khaleda Zia branding AL as "corrupt, fascist and anti-Islamic," asked her party men to take all-out preparation for resisting any AL bid to unleash terrorism centering on upcoming elections.

She warned that from now on "each and every action of AL will be retaliated, " and " no concession" will be given to it.

"We have given many concession to Awami League since 1996. No more concessions. This time we will resort every word and retaliate every action," Khaleda Zia told at grand rally of the four-party alliance in Dhaka on Monday.

The alliance earlier planned showdown program in the city and other parts of the country from Friday (July 13 ) morning till take-over by the caretaker government, urging the people to take to streets right after midnight of Friday as the tenure of the parliament will expire then.

On the same day, AL also begins a nine-day program to celebrate " victory of democracy."

It will bring out procession in the city on Friday and observe the day as "day of gratification," marking completion of government's full term.

As part of its show down, AL has also started massive preparation for a "grand rally " in the capital on July 15.

Amid a growing public concern over law and order ahead of the election, both the parties are preparing for a show down from Friday, organizing rallies and processions across the country.

The opposition has announced a program for "massive" procession in the city right after midnight on Friday, not to allow delay in AL's hand-over of power.

But the AL wants to hand over power on July 15 or a date fixed by the president.

AL will celebrate the occasion of power transfer as "victory of democracy " as she is going to hand over power completing full term of parliament for the first time in the country while BNP and its allies will observe it as "end of Awami League misrule ."

Asked about possibility of deployment of more law enforcers, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Kutubur Rahman said they are watching the situation and will do everything necessary to maintain law and order in the city.

"We are having close contacts with all political parties so that law and order can be maintained," said Rahman.






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