BNP gets permission to hold rally in Rajshahi

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has finally been given permission to organise a rally in Rajshahi on Sunday afternoon.

The administration gave the party permission to organise the rally by a roadside ground in between 3:00pm and 6:00pm. BNP applied for the well-known Madrasa Ground.

Meanwhile, the BNP in a press briefing alleged that the administration detained 388 of their leaders and activists and stopped buses of various routes to foil the rally.

BNP chairperson’s adviser Mizanur Rahman and Habibur Rahman, executive committee’s organising secretary and former state minister Ruhul Kuddus Talukder, Rajshahi metropolitan unit BNP president and former city mayor Mohammad Mosaddek Hossain and several other leaders of the party and its associate bodies were present at the press briefing, organised at its Malopara office in Rajshahi around 11:00am on Saturday.

Mizanur Rahman said, “Local administration behaving in an unfriendly manner with them at the behest of this illegal government. We applied for Madrasa ground on 12 September to organise the rally. But the administration rejected that saying the head teacher of that institution applied to them that the rally would hamper educational activities.”

"Later we applied for Mani Chattar, Ganakpara Mor and Fire Service Mor," he added.

Former MP and city mayor Mizanur Rahman further said, “This fascist government has ordered to stop plying of bus so that no BNP leaders and activists could attend the rally from adjacent districts.”

Former state minister Ruhul Kuddus Talukder said a total of 388 BNP men, including 80 in Rajshahi, have been arrested in Rajshahi division until Friday to foil rally.

Masters of six bus counters at Shaheed AHM Kamaruzzaman Bus Terminal told Prothom Alo correspondent that the owners’ association directed them not to ply buses.

Bus owners’ association general secretary Manzur Rahman could not be contacted as his mobile phone was found switched off.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) spokesperson additional deputy commissioner Golam Ruhul Kuddus told Prothom Alo that they have given BNP the permission to organise the rally. Maybe they have received it in the evening.

Regarding the arrests, he said, “No general people were harassed. Only those who were wanted or have specific allegation against them were arrested.”