Police are checking whether senior leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka committed sedition by asking BNP leaders and activists to come with machetes and axes to foil government attempts to thwart the party’s Oct 25 rally.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam told bdnews24.com on Thursday that police had lodged a general diary (GD) at the Paltan station following Khoka’s Oct 14 remarks.
“The GD’s is being investigated. We’ll apply to the Home Ministry for permission to sue him if is found to have committed sedition,” he said.
If the ministry permits, a sedition case will be filed against the BNP Metropolitan Convener.
The police were trying to finish the probe, Islam added.
At a meeting on Oct 14, the Vice-Chairman of the BNP, the main opposition party, had urged party activists to be ready with axes, spears, machetes, sticks and whatever they had if the Awami League attacked BNP leaders and activists anywhere and tried to thwart the Oct 25 rally in the capital.
In the past few days, police had raided Khoka’s residence twice after his provocative comment, but did not find him there.
On Wednesday, DMP official Monirul Islam had told bdnews24.com, “Khoka will surface in due time. I think he went underground to make axes and spears, he will come back when it’s time.”
Under new provisions of the Constitution after the 15th Amendment, the national elections must be held between Oct 25 and Jan 24, 2014. During this period, the ruling Awami League will remain in power and Parliament will not be dissolved.
However, the two major political parties have chosen Oct 25 as a special day to launch their programmes, as countdown starts for the polls.
While the BNP will hold a rally, the Awami League will also take to the streets the same day, adding to existing tension.
Source: bdnews24