BNP's mourning programme obstructed too

The police have obstructed BNP’s mourning programmes in protest of the killing of Krishak Dal activist Sajeeb Hasan at different parts of the country. Although the programmes were held peacefully in most places, the police didn’t allow mourning processions in Chattogram, Khagrachhari and Tangail. In Dhaka, BNP brought out a procession from in front of its central office in the capital's Naya Paltan area following a mourning rally there.

BNP announced a 2-day programme in protest of the killing of Sajeeb Hossain. The party, at city and district level, brought out processions across the country on Thursday. BNP will distribute leaflets of their one-point demand of resignation of the government and an election under a non-partisan government after the Jummah prayers today.

In Laxmipur, the police and BNP activists locked into clashes in front of the Jhumur Cinema Hall and in front Adhunik Hospital on the Ramgati road on Tuesday afternoon. The almost hour-long clash left more than 50 people injured. Krishak Dal activist Sajeeb Hossain, 30, was stabbed to death at the time.

BNP held a mourning rally in the capital's Naya Paltan area in protest of the killing of Sajeeb Hossain. BNP vice-chairman Barkatullah claimed in the rally that some 19 BNP activists were killed in the last year.

He said, “As many as 19 leaders and activists of BNP have sacrificed their lives during their movement demanding elections under a non-partisan government since August last year. Thousands of leaders and activists have been crippled and around 20,000 have been imprisoned."

Barkatullah alleged that, “Some 8,000 BNP leaders and activists have been sued under different cases in the last two days (18 and 19 July). So far, a total of 4 million BNP activists have been made accused in different cases."

The BNP leader further said, “All patriotic political parties of the country are united now. People are united now. They are saying there will be no election under Sheikh Hasina’s government.”

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged, “There is not doubt that Sajeeb Hossain was deliberately killed in a very cold and calculated manner. He was killed in open daylight.”

Dhaka North city BNP convenor Amanullah Aman presided over the rally. A procession was brought out at the end of the rally. The procession continued through the Kakrail intersection and Fakirapul intersection and ended in Naya Paltan.

Our Chattogram correspondent said the BNP was not allowed to hold the mourning programmes. A procession was supposed to be brought out from in front of the BNP office in the city’s Kazir Dewri area at around 3:00 pm. However, police obstructed BNP activists when they tried to bring out the procession. The police said there is no permission to bring out the procession due to security reasons. After that the BNP activists held a protest rally in front of the party office.

Although BNP was not allowed to bring out a procession, Awami League was allowed to hold a protest rally just one and a half kilometres away from the Kazir Dewri area at the Chattogram Zila Parishad premises. They held the rally in protest of vandalisation of Awami League candidate’s election camp by BNP activists on Wednesday.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Kotwali police station’s officer-in-charge (OC) Zahidul Karim said, “The special branch of police didn’t give the permission for the procession due to security reasons and decline in law and order in recent times.”

The police obstructed the BNP leaders and activists right after they brought out the procession. Therefore, the procession couldn’t enter the main city. At around 3:30 pm a procession was brought out in front of the Bepari Para orphanage in the city. However, police intervened as soon as it reached the Shantikunja intersection. Following that, the BNP activists held a demonstration in the Beparipara area. Tangail BNP president Hasanujjamil and general secretary Farhad Iqbal addressed the demonstration.

Khagrachhari BNP held a mourning rally amidst obstructions from police. The party activists brought out a procession from the Kalabagan area in the city. Later, police intervened as soon as it reached the Bhanga Bridge area. Following that, the BNP leaders and activists held a mourning rally there. Khagrachhari district BNP president and former MP Wadud Bhuiyan addressed the rally.

Khagrachhari Sadar police station’s officer-in-charge Md Arifur Rahman said, “They weren’t allowed to proceed towards the Shapla Chattar to keep things in order. However, they held a peaceful rally in the Bhanga Bridge area.”