The BNP-led 19-party alliance will display black flags at all wards of the city on Wednesday if police finally deny it permission to stage its scheduled black-flag procession on the city roads.
Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon said police as of 6pm did not give them permission to hold their programme.
“We still hope that the good sense will prevail upon the government and the DMP will allow us taking out black-flag processions on the city streets,” he said.
“If we are not given permission, leaders and activists of our party and alliance partners will display black flags at every ward,” he added.
Ripon, also the BNP’s international affairs secretary, said the alliance leaders and activists will take out black-flag processions across the country even though they fail to stage the processions in the capital.
Earlier, the 19-party alliance sought permission from the government to bring out its scheduled procession on Wednesday, either from in front of its Nayapaltan central office or Suhrawardy Udyan.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office on Monday, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they have applied to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for allocating them any of the two spots for the programme.
“People have no connection with parliament formed through a voter-less farcical elections. This parliament is going into session on Wednesday. Protesting it, the 19-party alliance will stage peaceful black-flag processions across the country on the day,” the BNP leader told reporters.
Meanwhile, the DMP has decided not to allow the 19-party to hold their scheduled programme.
Contacted, Deputy Commissioner (Public Relations) of DMP Masudur Rahman said they have decided not to give permission for holding of the black-flag procession on security grounds.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia announced the programme at a press conference here on January 15.
Ripon at the briefing said they expect a democratic attitude from the government. “We want to avoid violence. We hope the authorities concerned will allow us holding our peaceful programme.”
Source: UNB Connect