Police advise BNP to hold rally at Golapbagh ground in Dhaka
Police have has advised BNP to hold their rally at Golapbagh ground instead of Naya Paltan or Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on Thursday.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will hold the rally on Thursday.
Sources said the party may set a deadline for the current government to accept their demand of an election-time neutral government.
Earlier on Monday, BNP in a letter informed Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) that they want to hold their rally at Naya Paltan or Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.
Police have not yet given any decision on the venue of the rally.
Police have has advised BNP to hold their rally at Golapbagh ground instead of Naya Paltan or Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on Thursday.
Speaking to Prothom Alo on Wednesday afternoon, DMP commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq said, "We have advised BNP to hold the rally at Golapbagh, taking the sufferings of the people into consideration."
On 10 December BNP held a rally at Golapbagh ground although the party wanted to hold the rally in front of the party office at Naya Paltan, which the police didn't allow at that time. Instead, the police asked BNP to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan. But the BNP didn't agree.
This time, when BNP themselves declared they want to hold the rally at Naya Paltan or Suhrawardy Udyan, the police are advising them to go to Golapbagh ground.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) sources said the area of Golapbagh ground is 4.52 acres while the area of Suhrawardy Udyan is 68 acres.
On 22 July, BNP held a 'youth rally' at Suhrawardy Udyan, and announced the party would hold a rally on 27 July.
Till 4:00pm, BNP has not formally said anything about changing the venue of their rally.
The party may disclose its decision at a press briefing later in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, DMP commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq at an event in the capital on Wednesday said they would allow a number of parties to hold rallies in Dhaka.
He said that the attendees of the rally won't be allowed to carry sticks and bags.
The DMP commissioner said the political parties should hold rallies but not cause sufferings to the people. He also said that if such events continue to be a source of suffering for the people, there might be a need to eventually prohibit rallies.