Leaders of major political parties used the Eid holidays to campaign for the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2019.

Believing that the Eid holidays were a key opportunity for reaching out to a large number of constituents, leaders of ruling Awami League, the BNP and main opposition Jatiya Party rushed to their constituencies before Eid and campaigned throughout the holidays, said party leaders.

This year the presence of young politicians in their constituencies was significant and hundreds of party ticket hopefuls campaigned.

The party ticket hopefuls even distributed food and clothes among their constituents.

Those not MPs expressed their eagerness to run in 2019 while the incumbent lawmakers told their constituents that it was imperative they get elected again to finish their work.

The leaders sought the voters' blessings.

Even AL President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia spoke about the elections in their Eid greeting speeches.

After exchanging Eid greetings at the Gono Bhaban, Hasina said, "We want cooperation from all ... we want to make the country free from hunger and poverty and make it a prosperous one as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia while exchanging Eid greetings at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre said the next national election must be held under a supportive-government with the deployment of the army to install a pro-people administration to end public sufferings and ensure good governance.

The Election Commission has already drafted the roadmap for the next elections. The two major political parties have been internally preparing for the polls. 

Khaleda has sought votes for the BNP and had unveiled the party's Vision 2030. She said no MP would go unchallenged in the next polls.

BNP leaders believe that they would run in the next election whatever the situation.

A large number of AL leaders, especially young leaders, visited their constituencies and areas and sought people's blessing after Hasina declared that those with close ties with constituents would get party nominations.

Apart from incumbent AL MPs, young leaders like Ashim Kumar Ukil, Aminul Islam Amin, Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu, Afzal Hossain, Enamul Haque Shamim, Sujit Roy Nandi, ABM Reazul Kabir Kawsar, Marufa Akter Popy, Mahmud Hasan Ripon, Saifuzzaman Shikor, Shafi Ahmed, Ajoy Kar Khokan, Mainul Hossain Khan Nikil, Sajjad Shakib Badsha, Aktaruzzaman Babu, Sheikh Sohel Rana Tipu, Nafiul Karim Nafa, Badiuzzaman Shohagh, Zahiruddin Mahmud Lipton were seen campaigning in their areas.

Our Rangpur correspondent said a number of MP hopefuls of different parties visited constituencies of the district.

Local BNP leader Saiful Islam sought vote for BNP after the Eid congregation at Pirganj Eidgah while AL MP Ahasanul Hoque Chowdhury of Rangpur-2 sought vote for Boat in next polls. Boat is the electoral symbol of the AL.

Our Sylhet correspondent added that Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, adviser to the BNP chairperson, carried out a month-long campaign in Sylhet-1 constituency and expressed his desire to run in the next polls.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith is the incumbent MP of Sylhet-1.

Abdul Momen, younger brother of Muhith, Shahed Muhith, son of Muhith, and AL Organising Secretary Misbah Uddin Seraj also campaigned in the same constituency.

For the last few months, AL leaders Ashim Kumar Ukil, Reazul Kabir Kawsar, Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu, Afzal Hossain and Misbah Uddin Seraj have been staying mostly in their areas to campaign, sources said.

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina itself will act as the supportive government during the next general election.

"BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia went to the bank of River Thames (London) after making announcement of anti-government agitation. The agitation programme of BNP now remains confined in the vanity bag of Khaleda Zia. Let her come back to the country first, then we will see," Quader said.

He came up with the remarks while addressing a reunion of former students of Basurhat Government High School in Companiganj in Noakhali.

Presided over by Companiganj upazila vice-chairman Azam Pasha Chowdhury Romel, the function was attended by Noakhali-3 lawmaker Mamunur Rashid Kiron, principal of the school Mohammad Nurul Amin and upazila Awami League president Khijir Hayat, among others.

"Being a former student of this school, I have been able to come this far. I hope you all would be able to achieve greater success than me. In spite of being a lady, our prime minister is now being lauded all across the world. Bangladesh is now being recognised as Digital Bangladesh. We have now achieved exceptional success in cricket being patronised by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," Quader said.

Earlier in the morning, he visited Companiganj upazila health complex and expressed discontent over the absence of doctors and nurses at the hospital. He also ordered the civil surgeon to show causes over the matter.

Amid the presence of a huge number of party men, the BNP yesterday called upon the government to dissolve parliament before the next parliamentary polls for holding the elections under a non-partisan neutral administration.

Thousands of BNP leaders and activists brought out a colourful procession in the city marking the country's 48th Independence Day. At the programme, party leaders also vowed to “restore” democracy and people's rights in the country through a peaceful and systematic movement.

Since noon, activists of the BNP and its associate bodies, in their hundreds, started gathering in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office and its adjacent areas with small processions.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, along with other senior leaders, inaugurated the procession around 2:00pm.

Carrying the national flag, placards, banners, festoons and portraits of top party leaders, the BNP men marched towards Shantinagar amid tight     security.

They chanted slogans demanding the release of their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was sent to jail in a corruption case on February 8.

The rally ended in Nayapaltan around one hour later after marching through Kakrail and Shantinagar streets, creating traffic jam in Motijheel, Fakirapool, Bijaynagar, Kakrail, Shantinagar and Malibagh areas.

BNP's freedom fighters wing Muktijoddha Dal also brought out a procession with a symbolic coffin. “Democracy has gone in this coffin” was written on it.

In his brief speech before the procession, Fakhrul called upon the government to take steps for holding the next general elections under a non-party administration.

“The prime minister must resign and parliament should be dissolved before the polls,” he said.

He also said the country's people were deprived of all their basic rights as the government had snatched them away. “We fought the Liberation War with the spirit of democracy but the government has established a one-party rule by destroying that very spirit after assuming office.”

The BNP leader urged his party colleagues to take a vow to restore peace, democracy and peoples' rights in the country.

Several hundred law enforcers were deployed at different points from Nayapaltan to Malibagh crossing to fend off any untoward incident.

Earlier, a three-member BNP team, led by party standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to seek permission for their rally scheduled to be held on March 29 at the Suhrawardy Udyan.

Emerging from the meeting, the BNP leader told journalists that the home minister told them that the government had no objection to the holding of their rally.

“He [the minister] said he would inform us about the permission after discussion with the authorities concerned. We found him positive, but we will wait for his confirmation,” Nazrul said.

He said they also discussed the indiscriminate arrest of their party leaders and activists and repression against them. “We requested him to stop it. I think the minister took it seriously.”

Later, the home minister told journalists that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner would decide whether the BNP would get the permission.

“If our police commissioner thinks there is no apprehension of anything bad on March 29, he will grant permission for the rally. This is his duty,” he said.

The minister also said the DMP may permit BNP to hold its rally if it changes the schedule and venue. “It is our duty to ensure security of the people so that no untoward situation is created.”

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, along with members of the party's standing committee, is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus this afternoon.

Shairul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP's media cell, said, "At the Chief Adviser's invitation, Mirza Fakhrul will visit his residence at 4:00pm.

"Standing Committee members will participate under Fakhrul's leadership," he added.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday termed the proposed national budget "anti-Bangladesh", saying it contains new schemes to facilitate the embezzlement of public money by the ruling party-backed looters.

"The government has become looters. The budget crafted by these looters seems to be aimed at further indulging in plundering. I believe that fresh plans have been devised in the budget for embezzlement (of public money)," he said.

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Budget falls short of what was needed

Talking to reporters on the budget in front of the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office, Fakhrul also said the worst aspect of the proposed budget is the lack of any direction towards new job creation.

"The entire budget seems to be formulated for mega projects, mega theft, and corruption. So, I not only call this so-called budget anti-people but also anti-Bangladesh," he observed.

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali placed a Tk 7,97,000 crore proposed national budget for 2024-25 in parliament.

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Budget unlikely to make dent in soaring inflation

Giving his party's initial reaction to the budget, Fakhrul said the proposed expenditure is much higher than the revenue collection target.

He warned that this imbalance will only intensify public suffering and increase their burden.

The BNP leader also feared that the government will cut public pockets to meet its expenditures.

Besides, he said the government will take loans or grant from abroad as well as from local banks to bridge the gap between expenditures and revenue earnings.

"In the end, it will be the people who bear the consequences. They are already grappling with the burden of unbearable increases in the prices of commodities, fuel, and utility services, including power," Fakhrul said.

He said the government plans to further increase the prices of utility services in the near future, leaving the country's people in a precarious situation. "Many individuals are returning to rural areas, leaving cities struggling to sustain their livelihoods."

Fakhrul said the government has no focus on resolving the problems faced by the people amidst the gradual increase in inflation.

About the provision for whitening black money with a payment of 15 percent tax, he said it is unjust to those who earn money through legal means.

Referring to recent media reports on the alleged corruption involving former IGP Benazir Ahmed and former army chief Aziz Ahmed, Fakhrul questioned how government officials could accumulate such vast amounts of wealth.

The BNP leader also said the budget was presented in a parliament where all MPs, elected through what he referred to as a "dummy election," are affiliated with the ruling party, even though they are seated separately on both the treasury and opposition benches.

He also alleged that burning issues concerning public interests are now cannot be discussed in parliament, as the ruling party MPs only like to engage in praising the government.

Fakhrul also mentioned an instance where an MP attempted to initiate a discussion on the corruption allegations against Benazir but was interrupted and stopped.