BCL activists display strength ahead of BNP rally in Barishal
On the eve of BNP’s divisional public gathering of Barisal on Saturday, Bangladesh Chattra League activists displayed their strength, wielding poles and sticks. On Friday evening, leaders and activists of BCL took to the streets with over a hundred motorcycles and a procession at the Sadar Road, Hospital Road, Kathpatti Road, Banglabazar, Zilla School intersection of the district.
Observers said, BCL activists, divided up into a few groups and brought ut a rally of motorcycles and processions, chanting against BNP activists. The procession also went near the district BNP office and the site where BNP will hold their public rally.
BNP city convener Moniruzzaman Khan told Prothom Alo, “We apprehended this and it has become true. An unannounced hartal is being created by stopping buses, launches and all small vehicles. Even by disconnecting the whole Barisal area they are not feeling confident. Now they are trying to create fear and violence in the name of a showdown.”
BCL’s city convener Rais Ahmed, did not answer his phone when called regarding the matter. But on 2 November night during a similar showdown he said, “Our leader called upon the youth to join a grand rally in Dhaka. We are campaigning within the city as part of that. Apart from that, BNP miscreants under the leadership of Khaleda Zia are trying to create chaos in the name of a grand rally in Barisal on 5 November. They are also pressurising and threatening people to join the event. BNP is trying to create unrest in the peaceful Barishal of mayor Serniabat Abdullah. We shall be on the streets to prevent that.”