Will hold 10 December rally at any cost: Iqbal Hasan Mahmud
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud on Friday said the party will hold rally in Dhaka on 10 December at any cost.
He said this to Prothom Alo as a reaction to the detention of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and another senior leader Mirza Abbas in the small hours of Friday.
Plainclothesmen detained Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Mirza Abbas from their residences in the capital city at around 3 am, said their families and the party.
BNP standing committee convened the meeting at this emerging situation.
Speaking to Prothom Alo on Friday morning, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said, “The meeting of BNP’s standing committee has been convened due to the unwanted situation that has been created. A discussion on the next course of action of the party will be discussed in the meeting.”
“We know the government will hinder us, still we will take to the streets. We will hold the rally in Dhaka on 10 December at any cost.”
Following the completion of nine divisional rallies, BNP is set to organise the party’s rally in Dhaka on 10 December. BNP wanted to organise the rally in front of the party’s headquarters in Naya Paltan but Dhaka Metropolitan Police gave them permission to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan.
But the BNP leaders remain unwavering about holding the rally at Naya Paltan.
Amid the discussion and furore over finalising the venue, a clash broke out between law enforcement and BNP leaders and activists on Wednesday afternoon, leaving a person killed and at least 50 others injured.
Four cases have been filed against 2,975 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations with Paltan, Motijheel, Ramna and Shahjahanpur police stations in the capital regarding the clash.
As of now 485 people, including several central leaders of the party, have been shown arrested in the cases.
Police also have boosted up security in the capital city centering BNP’s rally on 10 December. The law enforcement installed check posts at the entry points of Dhaka city two days ago. Security checking at the check posts has also been strengthened.
At the same time, leaders and activists of ruling Awami League and its associate bodies also have become pro-active on the streets. They staged demonstrations in different areas of the capital city and will remain vigilant today, Friday, and Saturday too so that no BNP men could come out with processions, said the party sources.