Police stop Islami Andolan’s procession against election schedule

Protesting against the announcement of the election schedule, Islami Andolan Bangladesh has brought out a mass procession towards the election commission building in the capital, but faced hindrance from the police at Shantinagar

They ended their programme through a brief rally there on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier, the Islamist party held a rally at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque around 3:30 pm. Later, they brought out the procession and marched towards the election commission building.

The police blocked their way at Shantinagar, setting up barbed wire barriers there. The protesters attempted to remove the barriers from the road, but eventually called the programme off through a brief rally.

Syed Mosaddek Billah Al Madani, joint secretary general of Islami Andolan, announced a demonstration programme at the district-level on Thursday, protesting the election schedule.

He, at the earlier rally at Baitul Mukarram, alleged that the commission is announcing the election schedule due to its allegiance to the government. Describing the commission as a slave of government, he said the people do not want any election under them.

Syed Mosaddek Billah also warned that the people will have no choice but to take to the streets if there is an attempt to hold an election, ignoring demands of all opposition parties.

Ashraf Hossain, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Ramna Division), said they stopped the procession considering the public sufferings.

Despite all concerns and warnings by the oppositions, the chief election commissioner, Kazi Habibul Awal, has unveiled the election schedule this evening and announced 7 January, 2024 as the date for voting.