But the decision taken by the police administration and the pro-government transport owners regarding the meeting called by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has not only increased the tension of the general people, but also has created huge public suffering.
Transport owners of Khulna suspended the bus service on 18 routes from Friday to Saturday. This created an unbearable situation for the people. The long distance passengers suffered the most.
Every citizen shall have the right to assemble and to participate in public meetings and processions peacefully and without arms, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interests of public order health
The transport owners claimed that the transport workers refused to work in fear of political unrest due to the meeting called by BNP. BNP appealed for permission to hold the meeting in Shahid Hadis Park. As Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) did not allow them to hold the meeting in Hadis Park, the activists of BNP gathered in front of their party office. However, the police surrounded the place no one was allowed to enter the area after 10:00 am.
According to the eye witnesses, about two thousand BNP activists gathered in front of the party office. They were surrounded by an equal number of policemen. The meeting was held with people present within the police cordon and there was no problem.
The government’s policymakers are saying that BNP is an isolated party. They do not have the capacity to conduct a movement. If that is to, why was the entire city cordoned by the police ahead of BNP’s meeting?
Article 37 of Bangladesh’s constitution states, “Every citizen shall have the right to assemble and to participate in public meetings and processions peacefully and without arms, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interests of public order health”.
Our question is, as the policymakers of the government are saying BNP is an isolated party, then why is the government so concerned about their programmes?
Meanwhile, police and Chhatra Dal leaders and activists clashed in front of the National Press Club. Several people were injured in this incident. The Chhatra Dal leaders said police attacked them to thwart their peaceful programme.
Police said Chhatra Dal activists hurled brickbats at them. Transport cannot be stopped and violence in the name of political activities should not be tolerated. The government should avoid this culture of verbally shutting down opposition parties’ programmes in the name of public order.
