The ruling Awami League welcomed the alliance between political platforms led by Bikalpa Dhara chief AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Gano Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain.
But after the citizens’ rally on Saturday, which was convened by Dr Kamal and joined by senior BNP leaders including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul, ruling party leaders now smell a rat.
The rally issued an ultimatum to the government for implementing its three-point demands including the formation of a polls-time neutral administration by Sept 30.
The two other demands are the reconstitution of the current Election Commission and dissolution of the 10th parliament before the election.
Calls for release of jailed BNP chief and former prime minister Khaleda Zia also came from the rally and that’s where Awami League leaders said triggers the suspicion of a ‘conspiracy’.
“Dr Kamal Hossain has never practised politics in good faith, which is once again clear from the BNP appearing at his rally and calls for Khaleda’s release,” said Joint General Secretary Abdur Rahman.
The Awami League took the initiative of forming a political bloc ahead of the elections sportingly, Presidium member Faruk Khan said.
“The BNP’s presence and a closer look at the demands raised by them trigger the suspicion of a plot to foil the election,” he told Bangla Tribune.
Khan’s colleague in the Awami League Presidium Kazi Zafarullah echoed.
“The nation has got a clear message from the citizens’ rally that a conspiracy is hatching,” he said.
The Jatiya Oikya Prokriya has lost its appeal to the nation by calling for the BNP chief’s release, according to Organising Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.
“It’s now clear that they are plotting against the government and to foil the general election,” he said.