People won’t return home until fall of this govt: Amir Khosru

The ongoing protest rallies are not the movement of BNP alone but rather of all people to save the country from the present "fascist" government, said BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. 

"People are running out of patience. They are now coming out to the streets in every village, thana, upazila and city and will not return home until the fall of this 'fascist' government," said Amir Khosru as chief guest at rally organised by Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP near Mahakhali Gausul Azam Jame Masjid on Monday.

He added that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the BBC that only Awami League held proper elections. "Not a single person in Bangladesh believes this," he said. 

"Why did the BBC ask Sheikh Hasina about the disappearances, murders and upcoming elections, what is the significance of this? Is there anyone who does not understand this?" he asked.

As part of its pre-declared programme at 16 places in the capital, BNP leaders and activists held rallies in the capital, carrying national flags tied to bamboo sticks, to protest against the recent killing of three BNP men, increase in prices of commodities including fuel and attacks on their programmes in various places.

Since Monday morning, leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organisations from different wards of Gulshan and Banani joined the march.

Leaders and activists who joined the rally said the ruling party activists have attacked many BNP leaders including Barkat Ullah Bulu, Selina Rahman, and Tabid Awal in the past few days. So this time, as preparation for self-defence, they came to the rally with bamboo sticks.

Tabid Awal, a member of the central executive committee of BNP, attended the rally on Monday with a broken arm and a bandage on his head. 

He was attacked allegedly by ruling party activists during a candle-lighting programme at Banani in the capital on Saturday

"No matter how much our heads are broken, we are on the streets until this government is ousted and a new Bangladesh can be built. No one will move from the battlefield until then," said Tabid.

Under the chairmanship of BNP North Dhaka convener Aman Ullah Aman and the direction of member secretary Aminul Haque, BNP leaders Abdus Salam, Shamsur Rahman, Shimul Biswas, Kamruzzaman Ratan, Sarafat Ali Sapu, Mostafizur Rahman Babul, Sultana Ahmed, Saif Mahmud Jewel and others gave speeches.

Law enforcement agency members were seen active around the rallies.

No Awami League procession was seen but a march in Gulshan-1 Chattar and Mohakhali area.

Allegation of attack, loot on BNP leaders' houses in Narayanganj again

After the attack on BNP activists in Bhulota area of Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj, there are allegations of attack and looting at the houses of five leaders of BNP and Juba Dal in Chanpara Rehabilitation Centre area in the district. 

The families of the victims say that the houses were attacked on Sunday between 11:30pm and 1am with sharp weapons and sticks, with slogans and warnings against BNP. The people of the house were beaten and looted. Most of the attackers are teenagers.

Earlier on Saturday night, there was an attack and looting at the house of District Chhatra Dal vice-president Masudur Rahman in the Bhulta area. On the same night, BNP alleged that the businesses of five other leaders and workers of Juba Dal and Chhatra Dal were looted.