Amid the escalating tension in the wake of threats and counter-threats by the ruling and the opposition to face each other on the streets, the BNP-led 18-party alliance is set to hold its March for Democracy programme at the city’s Nayapaltan despite the denial of police permission.
The opposition alliance accused the government of creating an undeclared blockade to foil their peaceful programme and voiced their determination to make their programme a success at any cost.
They threatened that where there will any resistance there will be counter-resistance.
On the other hand, the ruling party said their activists will be there on the streets with sticks to resist the opposition men for saving the capital, triggering the fear of violence in the capital.
Panic gripped the city dwellers as both the ruling and the opposition camps apparently in a confrontational mood over Sunday’s Nayapaltan programme.
Taking a hard-line in a bid to prevent the opposition men from gathering in the Nayapaltan area, the Dhaka Metropolitan police (DMP) has reportedly decided to go on instant arrest if they try to move there in groups.
“We’re ready to arrest the people who will be seen moving towards the opposition’s so-called gathering venue, Nayapaltan, defying the DMP’s ban rallies,” said a DMP official requesting anonymity.
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.
Amid the growing tension over a possible face-off between the activists of Awami League and BNP, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday rejected BNP’s request for allowing it to hold the rally in the city.
DMP deputy commissioner (PR) Masudur Rahman said the opposition was denied the permission for the sake of security of the city dwellers.
After the denial of the permission, the BNP and its alliance partners vowed to hold the programme by any means at Nayapaltan.
The opposition claimed that several lakhs of their supporters have already reached Dhaka from different parts of the country.
Meanwhile, BNP vice chairman Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed at a press conference on Saturday announced to hold the programme at any cost.
He said their programme will start by 10/11 am and the opposition leader will be there at Nayapaltan at any time.
Earlier in a video message on Friday, 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.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement on Saturday alleged that the government itself has created a non-stop blockade against people with the help of the administration in a bid to foil the 18-party’s march for democracy programme.
Fakhrul called upon the opposition leaders and activists to converge on in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on Sunday defying all obstacles and hurdles.
Meanwhile, Awami League Presidium Member Obaidul Quader on Saturday said BNP’s ‘march for democracy’ is nothing but a cruel joke as it follows an undemocratic path.
Obaidul Quader, also the Communications Minister, addressing an extended meeting of Awami League Dhaka city unit at its office at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city also said, “We won’t provoke them, nor we’ll attack, but if they attack us we’ll definitely resist them,” said Obaidul adding, “We need not to worry about the ‘March towards Dhaka’ programme called by BNP as its programme has got stuck in quicksand,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, State Minister for Law Advocate Quamrul Islam said each and every leader and activist of Awami League equipped with sticks will resist the opposition men for saving the capital. “Our fight will continue. BNP is a terrorist outfit. They’ve lost their identity as a political party.”
City AL general secretary Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya, “We’ve to make such arrangements so that no one enter Dhaka through its eight entry points and nor could flee.
Meanwhile, communications of the capital with several districts remained snapped since Friday morning as bus and launch services have been suspended at the behest of the local administration to foil the Dhaka March programme.
The movement of all types of public transport, including bus, train and launch, between capital Dhaka and other parts of the country virtually came to a halt on Saturday.
Train services on different routes, including Dhaka-Rajshahi and Dhaka-Sylhet and Chittagong-Sylhet highways, remained suspended since this morning, causing immense sufferings to passengers.
Transport owners and workers said they have suspended operation of the buses and launches on several routes due to pressure from different sections and security reasons.
According to reports reaching the UNB news desk, no long-route bus left for Dhaka on Saturday from Laxmipur, Faridpur, Joypurhat, Munshiganj, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Rajshahi Keraniganj, Narayanganj and Savar. Besides, Dhaka’s bus communications with Barisal and Sylhet remained stopped from Friday.
Inland Launch Owners’ Association Narayanganj district committee Badiuzzaman said although some launches left Narayanganj for other places but no launch arrived there.
In the capital, most buses stayed off the streets, adding to the commuters’ woes.
Besides, law enforcers arrested several hundred BNP leaders and activists from different parts of the country, including over 200, in the capital and 80 in Chittagong on Saturday.
The law enforcers also have kept sharp eyes on different residential hotels and restaurants to fend off any acts of sabotage.
Meanwhile, the 18-party opposition alliance is likely to announce its fresh action programme from the rally to resist the January-5 election.
The alliance may announce harsher programmes like non-cooperation, blockade and mass curfew from Monday to the voting day, which will badly affect the country’s all sectors, including economy and education and lead to the anarchy and widespread violence.
Talking to UNB, BNP assistant office secretary Abdul Latif Jony said their several lakhs of leaders and activists arrived in the city from different areas of the country. They are now staying at the houses of their relatives and different hotels.
He also claimed that thousands of opposition men will came to the city in the morning from at least nine districts adjacent to the capital, despite the ruling party’s announcement to take position at every entry point of the city.
The high command of the opposition directed its local leaders to take position at a particular place before starting their march towards the capital.
They were also directed to take position where they will be intercepted by the law enforcers or ruling party men. They were also asked to put up a strong resistance, if necessary.
Party sources said the BNP chairperson has asked the senior leaders to be there in front of Nayapaltan by 10:00 am on Sunday to start the programme.
Khaleda may set out from her Gulshan residence for Nayapaltan around 2:30pm. If she is resisted by the law enforcers the opposition activists may march towards her residence.
According to the sources, Khaleda may not come to the Nayapaltan if the opposition activists cannot converge on there.
Considering the situation, the opposition will devise their next course of action.
A security blanket will be thrown around Dhaka city from early Sunday morning to avert any unpleasant incident over the Nayapaltan gathering.
The law-enforcement agencies, including members Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), will be put on red alert from Sunday morning.
Some 10,000 policemen will remain on highest alert in the capital, especially Nayapaltan and its adjacent areas, from early Sunday.
Besides, police and Rab have been asked to set up check-posts at all entry and exit points in and around the capital as part of foolproof security measures.
Source: UNBConnect