Days after BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi sharply criticized eminent rights activist Sultana Kamal, another top BNP leader publicly threatened to "overthrow" the government.

Senior BNP leader Amanullah Aman went as far as to say that "after December 10, the country will be run by our Chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting Chairman Tarique Rahman".

"Get ready, a new program will be announced. Entire Bangladesh, including Kanchpur Bridge, Tongi Bridge, Mawa Road, Aricha Road, Teknaf to Tentulia and Rupsha to Pathuria will be blocked," Aman, an advisor to the BNP Chairperson and also convener of the party's Dhaka north unit, was quoted as saying.

This is a continuation of BNP's recent rhetoric and "threats" to overthrow the government before the scheduled national election, many netizens pointed out following Aman's speech.

Tarique Rahman, found guilty in a litany of cases including money laundering and August 21 grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina, is currently in London. Khaleda Zia is serving her sentence over misappropriation of funds for orphans.

"So, the threat that these two will run the country points to plans being finalised for a violent phase of street fighting to bring down the government," said a top intelligence official.

Political analysts also say BNP's pitch for Khaleda-Tarique "running the country" is meant to throw cold water on other opposition leaders trying to vie for the top job.

"This is BNP's way of telling the likes of Kamal Hossain or GM Quader that none other than the Zia family should pitch for the top job if the opposition comes to power," said Sukharanjan Dasgupta, author of "Midnight Massacre" on the 1975 Bangladesh coup that killed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most members of his family and led to Zia's emergence as the country's first military ruler.