The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Sunday denied the BNP-led 19-party alliance permission to hold its twice-rescheduled rally in the city’s Suhrawardy Udyan for Monday on the plea of security concern at Amar Ekushey Book Fair.
DMP deputy commissioner (PR) Masudur Rahman told UNB that they did not allow the 19-party alliance to hold their rally at Suhrawardy Udyan considering the security of the month-long book fair that began on Saturday just beside the rally venue.
This was the third time in last one week the alliance has been denied permission by the DMP to stage its programme in the city.
Contacted, BNP’s Dhaka City unit member secretary Abdus Salam said they are still hopeful that the DMP will finally allow them to hold their peaceful rally.
He, however, said if they fail to get the permission for the programme, they will work out their next course of action in consultation with their party chairperson.
The programme was originally scheduled to be held on Saturday in protest against the law enforcers’ obstruction to their January-29 black-flags processions, killing and forced disappearances of its leaders and activists and repression on them.
However, it was first deferred to Sunday for the smooth inauguration of the Ekushey Book Fair on the day and then rescheduled for Monday to facilitate the Akheri Munajat of the second phase of Biswa Ijtema. The DMP also did not allow them to hold the programme.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday announced the programme for Saturday at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
The 19-party alliance was scheduled to take out black-flag processions across the country, including the capital, on Wednesday protesting the sitting of the 10th parliament formed through what the party said January-5 ‘farcical and voter-less’ elections. The 10th parliament went into its maiden session on Wednesday.
But they could not stage the programme in the capital as the DMP denied them permission for holding the programme, prompting the alliance to announce the countrywide demonstration programmes, including in the capital, for Saturday.
Source: UNBConnect
