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The “July March” of the National Citizen Party (NCP) has returned to Dhaka, concluding its month-long procession after meeting supporters of the July Uprising across the country.
NCP leaders and activists of the capital welcomed the top leaders with showers of flower petals as the cars carrying them reached the central office of the party in Bangla Motor Thursday midnight, reports bdnews24.com.
NCP Convener Nahid Islam delivered a brief speech to the waiting leaders and activists while fending off the heavy rain.
NCP’s programme, titled the “July March to Build the Nation”, kicked off on Jun 30 at Bangla Motor.
The party organised the programme to meet the families of the martyrs and those injured in the July Uprising in 64 districts, to introduce the thoughts of the top leaders regarding the creation of a new Bangladesh, to push for the crimes of Awami League leaders to be tried, the basic reforms of the state, and a national constituency election for a new constitution.
The march was officially inaugurated by visiting the grave of Abu Sayed, who was shot dead by police in the beginning of the July Uprising in Rangpur.
The march moved through at least 60 districts in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Bogura, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, Cumilla, Sylhet, and Mymensingh before hold a final meeting Savar’s Baipail on Wednesday.
Aside for the clashes with Awami League supporters in Gopalganj and BNP activists in Cox’s Bazar, the programmes in the remaining districts went off smoothly and peacefully.
During his speech at the party office, Nahid said: “We kicked off the march by visiting Abu Sayed’s grave. Today, we returned to Dhaka after holding a meeting on the blood-soaked Savar Baipail.”
Nahid hopes the march will play an important role in affirming the politics of the newly formed party.
He said, “The rise of the National Citizen Party through this July March, the experience we gained, will be useful for us in doing people’s politics. We wanted to give power to the people. We have done that through this July March programme.
“The National Citizen Party will continue to work to build a new, democratic Bangladesh without discrimination in accordance with the aspirations of the mass uprising.
“After this programme, we will go to the National Parliament and implement the goals of the National Citizen Party.”
LACK OF MATURITY?
Family members of the martyrs in various districts were choked with emotion as they met the frontline leaders of the July Uprising during the month-long march.
The tireless efforts of the young leaders also drew the attention of the common people. The central leaders of the NCP moved sometimes in cars and sometimes on foot. Crowds of young supporters and eager people in the district towns was noticeable.
Central leaders including Nahid, Nasir Uddin Patwari, Hasnat Abdullah bathed in the lake water along the way.
However, analysts also noticed the strict security provided by law-enforcing agencies during their programmes, public suffering due to protocol, and personal attacks on political opponents. Some people commented that excessive government benefits could almost transform the party into a king’s party.
Sabbir Ahmed, a professor at the Department of Political Science at Dhaka University, said “Such road marches are important for public engagement.
Especially, moving around the country to promote their politics is also quite nice. But in some cases they should have shown more maturity. Incidents like Gopalganj are undoubtedly undesirable.”
The professor suggests that people should gain the strength to navigate their own paths without relying on government patronage.
“They should build greater capacity and get out of the habit of holding political programmes under government patronage. Otherwise, there won’t be any connection with the people. In some places, they were seen personally attacking others. It will tarnish their image if they don’t stop,” he said.
FOUR DISTRICTS LEFT
On Jul 21, the NCP march was heading towards Feni district via Khagrachari. The party shortened its Feni programme after a large number of students were killed in a plane crash at Milestone College in Dhaka in the afternoon.
The abridged programme ended with a short prayer and speeches by local leaders on a stage prepared in advance. The march programmes in Noakhali and Lakshmipur were cancelled in solidarity with the national mourning.
Top leaders of NCP, including Nahid, came to Dhaka to try to help those affected by the Milestone School and College jet crash. Taking a break for a day, the party transformed the Cumilla march into a mourning procession on Jul 23.
Tensions had also brewed on social media for days surrounding the NCP march and rally in Gopalganj on Jul 16. On the scheduled day, the fear translated into reality with the attack on vehicles carrying leaders and activists and the deaths of five people in gunfire.
NCP leaders were threatened to bar them from entering Gopalganj, a district known as a strong base of Awami League, a party now barred from holding any political activities.
NCP also took it as a challenge. The march was renamed to “March for Gopalganj”. Different quarters predicted NCP leaders would destroy the grave of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib.
However, after wrapping up a disrupted rally in Gopalganj town, the NCP leaders faced massive resistance on their way to Madaripur and Shariatpur. At one point, law enforcers opened fire to rescue them and repel Awami League supporters, killing five people.
The Madaripur and Shariatpur programmes were cancelled that day due to the incident.
Nahid said, “We could not hold meetings in some districts due to the armed attack in Gopalganj and the Milestone tragedy. We will hold rallies in those districts after Aug 5. We will set foot in all 64 districts, and this programme of reaching out to the people will continue.”
Nahid acknowledged the various public suffering due to the rallies and apologised for them.
He said, “I apologise for the suffering of the common people during the meetings and marches. The spiritual connection we have with the people will remain intact. Our politics will continue for the people.”