The BNP plans to maintain a sustained presence on the streets from November 7 to put pressure on the caretaker government to hold the next general elections within a reasonable time and to thwart any attempts to destabilize the country, sources said internal.

In this regard, the party will organize nationwide programs to mark the National Revolution and Solidarity Day.

The BNP has already announced a 10-day programme, including a rally in the capital on November 8, to mark the day. Rallies will also be held in district headquarters and divisional headquarters.

For over a decade, the party has been unable to commemorate the day “properly” due to obstacles created by successive Awami League governments.

Amid political unrest, soldiers and civilians freed Ziaur Rahman, then army chief, from captivity in Dhaka Cantonment on November 7, 1975, paving the way for his rise to power. Zia later founded the BNP.

BNP leaders said the situation this year was quite similar, as students and popular masses ousted the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina in August. The former prime minister had to flee in the face of a massive uprising.

“Until last year, we were not able to observe this day (November 7). This day is very important for the nation. In 1975, people were freed from the misrule of the then government This year, people have been liberated from fascist rule again, so we want to celebrate this day with the people of the country,” Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, a member of the BNP standing committee, told the Daily Star last night.

Party sources said the BNP’s last rally took place on November 7 in front of the party headquarters in Nayapaltan, in the presence of its president Khaleda Zia. Since then, the party has had to hold a program on November 8 or a later date instead of November 7.

Khaleda was present at the November 7 rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on November 12, 2017.

This year, BNP Acting President Tarique Rahman will address the nation on the occasion of National Revolution and Solidarity Day. The party’s general secretary, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has already demanded the reinstatement of the November 7 public holiday.

According to inside sources, the BNP’s street programs will continue until the next general elections so that no one can destabilize the caretaker government.

“Our leaders and activists will take to the streets to demand that the next general elections be held within a reasonable time,” said a senior BNP leader.

Party leaders said a quarter of them were recently trying to create an anarchic situation in the country following the impeachment of the president. However, the BNP took a strong stance and said it did not want a situation that could delay the next election.

They said such attempts could happen again and that is why party leaders and activists should stay on the streets.

BNP Deputy General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said they had been prevented from observing November 7 for over a decade, but this time they intended to celebrate the day with the people.

“We want to restore democracy in the country just like our party founder Ziaur Rahman introduced multi-party democracy,” he told The Daily Star.