A central leader of the ruling party told Pratham Aalo on the condition of anonymity that the party wanted to keep the BNP under some pressure through the programme. The ruling party does not want to create any ruckus ahead of US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu’s visit to Dhaka on January 14. The leader said the ruling party, however, would not allow the BNP to show its strength on the street.
Earlier, on 30 December, Dhaka city’s northern unit AL held rallies at 11 places in the city, keeping the BNP’s mass rally as the centrepiece.
Two central AL leaders, on condition of anonymity, told Pratham ALO that the BNP could not organize a massive gathering on 10 December because the ruling party was active on the street. The same strategy worked on 30 December as well.
Both the leaders said that the Awami League would be active with counter programs keeping in mind any program of the BNP.