7 BNP lawmakers announce resignation at Dhaka rally

Total seven BNP lawmakers have announced their resignation from the National Parliament as per the decision of the party's standing committee.

The move comes as the party is all set to announce a 10-point demand including dissolution of parliament in today's rally.

Bogura-6 MP Gulam Mohammad Siraj made the announcement while addressing the party's 10th divisional rally being held at the Golapbagh playground in Sayedabad.

The other MPs who have decided to resign are -- Thakurgaon-3 Zahidur Rahman, Chapainawabganj-2 MP Aminul Islam, Brahmanbaria-2 MP Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan, reserved seat MP Barrister Rumeen Farhan Rumeen Farhana, Bogura-4 MP Mosharof Hosen, and Chapainawabganj-3 MP Harunur Rashid.

BNP's International Affairs Secretary Rumeen Farhana said that the MPs have already sent their resignation through email and will physically submit those to the speaker on Sunday.

BNP is holding its last rally from where the party will announce their demands for launching a simultaneous movement.

It was back in 1994, when 147 of the 154 opposition parliamentary members of Awami League, Jamaat and Jatiya Party (JaPa) resigned in a bid to oust the then Khaleda Zia's government. 

10-point demand to be announced

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said, from their rally, they will announce a 10-point demand.

"We have already discussed the points of the movement with those who are ready to wage a simultaneous movement with us.

"We hope they will simultaneously announce the 10 points – that we have formulated – from their respective positions," he said.

Mosharraf hoped that all parties who reach an understanding with them to initiate a simultaneous movement will move forward and intensify the anti-government agitation.

A BNP standing committee member, wishing anonymity, said the party will also announce some new programmes like demonstrations, token-hunger strikes, human chains and sit-ins from the rally demanding the release of party's leaders and activists and press for their 10-point demand.

He said their demands include the resignation of the government, dissolution of parliament, including the provision of the caretaker government in the constitution through an amendment, formation of a new Election Commission under the caretaker government, creating a level-playing field before the election, holding the election using ballot papers, releasing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and all other political prisoners without any condition and revoking the Digital Security Act (DSA) and other repressive laws, ensuring the freedom of expression and assembly and keeping all essential items within the buying capacity of people.

There are seven MPs of the party including one from the reserved women's seat.

On 29 October, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said MPs from his party are ready to resign from the current parliament as their main goal is to restore democracy by ousting the Awami League government.