BNP permitted to hold rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on 26 conditions

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has permitted BNP to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on 10 December on 26 conditions though the party sought to gather people in the capital's Naya Paltan, which police say will cause traffic congestion and the suffering of people  

DMP issued a letter on Tuesday which read the approval letter is not a permission for using the place. The permission [to use Suhrawardy Udyan] will have to be taken from the authorities concerned.     

The letter signed by Abdul Momen, deputy commissioner of DMP headquarters (administration) has been sent to BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.  

On 15 November, BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi applied to DMP seeking permission to hold a rally at Naya Paltan. Two days later, on 17 November, a group of BNP leaders met the DMP commissioner to inform him of their decision.  

The conditions are given below:

1. This approval letter is not the permission for using the place. The permission will have to be taken from the authorities concerned.      

2. The conditions mentioned in the venue permission letter, will have to be maintained properly.  

3. All activities of the rally will have to be held within the boundary of Suhrawardy Udyan.

4. A sufficient number of volunteers (with visible ID card) will have to be deployed at its own management at the venue to ensure security.   

5. CCTV cameras with higher resolution will have to be set up in and out of the venue at own management at the directives of the local police administration.

6. Archway will have to be established in all entrances at own management.  

7. All vehicles of the rally will have to go through vehicle scanner and search mirror.   

8.  Fire extinguishing measures will have to be taken at own management  

9.  No mike and sound box can be set up outside the Suhrawardy Udyan.

10. No projector can be installed outside the Suhrawardy Udyan.

11.  No mike and sound box can be used during Azan, Namaz and other religiously sensitive period.

12.  Gathering won’t be allowed at road and footpath outside the Suhrawardy Udyan.   

13. No remark and caricature can be displayed and delivered over the issue that could hurt the religious sentiment.

14. All the activities of the gathering will have to be finished within the stipulated time.

15. People are allowed to come to the venue two hours before the rally is held.

16. At any condition, traffic and the people’s movements cannot be disrupted on the rods nearby the venue.  

17. No stick and iron rod can be brought to the rally venue in the guise of carrying flags, banners and festoons.

18. No activities that could hamper the public safety and the law and order are now allowed.

19. No anti-state activities or speeches can be made.

20. No provocative speech or leaflet can be delivered.  

21. It is not allowed to come to the rally venue in a form of procession

22. Vehicles will have to be parked in designated area. They cannot be parked on main street.

23. Organisers will be held responsible if the law and order situation are disrupted in the rally spot.

24. The gathering will have to be conducted maintaining the proper health guidelines.

25. The permission will be deemed cancelled as soon as the aforementioned conditions are not properly met.

26. The authority has the right to cancel this permission without issuing any show-cause notice in public interest.