AL begins 'vigilant guard’ to resist BNP

The political arena has heated up significantly ahead of BNP's divisional mass rally in front of the Naya Paltan party office on 10 December and the ruling party has launched its ‘vigilant guard’ to drive out the BNP men.

The Awami League (AL) men were seen taking positions with processions at different spots across the capital city since Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, a deadly clash took place between the police and the BNP men at the latter's head office in the Naya Paltan area around 3:00 pm. The vigilant exercise of the ruling party men would heat up the political arena further, the common people feared.

According to AL sources, the leaders and activists of their Dhaka south city unit brought out processions and took positions at various spots since morning. Among them, some AL men gathered in front of their party office at the Bangabandhu Avenue and were monitoring the situation.

Also, the local Awami League units held processions at Bhuter Goli, Hatirpul, and Rasel Square areas. The presence of the ruling party men would increase from the evening, the party sources added.

The law enforcement agencies are active in Naya Paltan and adjacent areas while the Awami League men have taken positions at various spots across the city.

Riaj Uddin, office secretary of AL’s Dhaka south city unit, said their activists have been instructed to remain vigilant in each ward and serve a befitting reply if the BNP men try to carry out vandalism anywhere.

The south unit will hold a rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on Friday ahead of the BNP's divisional mass rally. Sources said a good number of participating AL men will be kept in the Bangabandhu Avenue area till Saturday, who keep a close eye on the movement of the BNP activists.

The party held a meeting at its office to decide the action plan for the BNP rally.

Meanwhile, the Dhaka north city unit will hold a rally on 13 December at Agargaon, where the trade fair used to be held. Under the mask of preparations for the rally, the ruling party men are exercising in different wards almost every day.

Sources said the main responsibility of the north city unit is to ensure that people cannot join the BNP rally through Tongi, Ashulia and Gabtali. The AL men will guard the entrances.