Opposition programmes to be Dhaka-centric

BNP is finally holding its grand rally at Naya Paltan of the capital on Friday. BNP feels that the two days of tensions regarding permission for the rally venue, arrest of many of its leaders, raids on houses and hotels, have made this rally in the final stages of the ‘one-point’ movement a matter of its ‘image’.

According to the responsible sources of BNP, the announcement of a turning-point programme of the one-point movement to oust the government will be made at this grand rally. Although there are many speculations regarding the programme, it is not known specifically what this will be. Concerned persons said that a series of programmes will be announced. But from now on all programmes will be mainly Dhaka-centric. At this stage, there is little likelihood of holding new programmes outside Dhaka.

BNP is holding this rally with the one-point demand for Sheikh Hasina's resignation and elections under a non-partisan government. This grand rally will be held in front of the party's central office in Naya Paltan at 2:00 on Friday afternoon. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has given permission to BNP to hold a public rally under 23 conditions.

On the same day, 36 parties including the Six-Party Alliance Democracy Forum, 12-Party Alliance, nationalist like-minded alliances, LDP, two parts of the Gano Odhikar Parishad, Labour Party and Gano Forum will also hold separate rallies. Apart from this, AB Party will also protest and demonstrate at Bijoy-71 Chattar.

BNP rally in Dhaka is taking place after various programmes including protest rallies, divisional public rallies, marches, and youth rallies over the year. The party's secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will speak as chief guest at the rally. After the rally, all the anti-government parties and alliances involved in the simultaneous movement will move forward with for the one-point in full force.

As on the previous day, on Thursday morning leaders and activists of BNP started to gather in front of their party office. But the law enforcing agents prevented them from gathering. A huge number of police were seen deployed in front of the BNP office from the morning. From 10 am, leader and activists coming from various districts started to chant slogans at Naya Paltan but the police cleared them away. Several armoured vehicles, water cannons and prison vans were also standing near the BNP office since morning. In the afternoon, armored vehicles, six police vehicles with water cannons made several rounds in Naya Paltan, Bijoynagar, Culvert Road, Fakirapool areas with sirens blaring, creating panic among the people.

Under the circumstances, BNP’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, convenor of Dhaka city North Amanullah Aman, convenor of South Abdus Salam and central publicity secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury asked their leader and workers not to gather and go away in two phases. As the public gathering will be held on Friday, they were asked to come at noon that day.  

Police said several times, there could be no gathering on Thursday, a working day. The office staff and security personnel also asked the leader and activists not to gather in front of the office.

Sharmin Sultana, a Mahila Dal activist from Noakhali told journalists, “We are not blocking any vehicles. We are merely chanting slogans---demanding release of our leader Khaleda Zia. The police are agitated even with that. Should the police act like this?’

Allowing the rally under 23 conditions, DMP commissioner Golam Faruk warned against anti-state speeches. Moreover, he also ordered not to carry sticks or bags.