Tension mounts across the city as the BNP-led opposition alliance gears up for its ‘March for Democracy’ towards capital Dhaka demanding cancellation of the schedule for the 10th national election billed for January 5.
Opposition leader Khaleda Zia at a press conference on Tuesday announced the programme of public showdown urging people from all walks of life to march towards Dhaka carrying the national flag on Sunday to realise their demand for having the election under a non-partisan administration.
Reacting to the opposition’s programme, senior leaders of the ruling Awami League and its alliance said they would resist the opposition’s programme terming it a ‘march for destruction’.
Amid the growing tension over a possible face-off between the activists of ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday rejected BNP’s request for allowing it to hold the rally in the city on Sunday.
DMP deputy commissioner (PR) Masudur Rahman said the opposition was denied the permission for the sake of security of the city dwellers.
Hours after the denial of permission, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia urged the county’s people to make the programme a success with their spontaneous participation in it braving all obstacles and barriers.
The former premier also urged all to hold the programme at Nayapaltan despite the denial of permission by the police, and directed the party leaders and activists to make it a success under any circumstances, even if she cannot join it for any reason.
“I urge you all to say ‘no’ to the current regime’s farcical election and say ‘yes’ to democracy and election under a non-party government by taking part in the December 29 programme,” she said.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan at a press conference said they are still hopeful that the government will finally permit them to hold their much-hyped rally in the city.
“We’ve sought permission from the DMP in a written application for holding our ‘March for Democracy’ programme. We hope we’ll get the permission from the police,” he said.
Asked what they will do if they are not allowed to hold the programme, the BNP leader said, “We’ve announced the programme which created huge enthusiasm among people across the country. We’re following the path of democracy and will remain on it.”
Besides, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement alleged that denial of permission for their peaceful programme in the city has proved that government has buried democracy.
Fakhrul said the 18-party is determined to observe its peaceful programme on Sunday defying the government’s plot to foil it and all barriers and restrictions.
Accusing the government of putting the law enforcers against people over a peaceful programme, the BNP leader said the regime will be held responsible for any untoward incident caused by its move.
In its efforts to prevent the opposition alliance from staging its showdown, the government has launched a countrywide crackdown on the opposition leaders and activists with joint forces.
The joint forces already arrested 286 people at different parts of the country, including the capital, in the last 24 hours till Friday night as the crackdown continues.
Meanwhile, communications of the capital with several districts remained snapped since Friday morning as bus and launch services have been suspended “fearing violence” ahead of the opposition’s Dhaka March programme.
Pro-Awami League owners and workers suspended the operation of buses and launches on several routes while many others were ‘forced’ to stop the services.
In Rajshahi, transport workers loyal to the ruling party on Friday called a strike on Rajshahi-Dhaka route until Sunday for ‘security reasons’.
Bus services of Barisal and other parts of the region were also stopped in the morning.
Aftab Hossain, president of Barisal Bus Owners’ Association, said the operation of Dhaka-bound passenger buses from Barisal and other parts of the region were suspended at 11:30 fearing the loss of lives and property through acts of sabotage over the March for Democracy programme.
Similar transport strikes have also been enforced on Sylhet-Dhaka, Meherpur-Dhaka, Bagerhat-Dhaka, Pirojpur-Dhaka, Bhola-Dhaka routes.
Launch services on various river routes, including Bhola-Sadarghat, Fularhat (Pirojpur)-Sadarghat and Barisal-Sadarghat, also remained snapped.
Opposition BNP on Friday alleged that the government is conspiring to stop the movement of public transports to prevent its leaders and activists from joining Sunday’s March for Democracy programme.
“The government in a planned way is trying to resist the March for Democracy towards Dhaka. They’re out to stop bus, train and launch services so that people can’t come to Dhaka to join the programme,” said BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman.
Mahbub also alleged that the government has kept the country virtually under a siege to foil the opposition’s programme.
Source: UNB Connect