The Jamaat-e-Islami will not be granted permission to hold a rally in Dhaka, while the city police (DMP) will decide on the scheduled grand rally of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said home minister Asaduzzaman Khan.
While speaking to the media at the secretariat on Wednesday, the home minister also said the Dhaka Metropolitan Police will definitely extend permission for the BNP rally if they remain peaceful during their programme.
Referring to the Jamaat rally, he said, “Jamaat is no longer a registered political party. If they come forward under the banner of Jamaat-e-Islami, there is no question of granting them permission.”
Asked if the Islamist party had sought permission from the police, the minister advised to place the query before the DMP commissioner.
The political arena started heating up in the run up to the next parliamentary polls.
The BNP announced a grand rally on 28 October and already submitted an application to the DMP seeking permission. Meanwhile, the ruling Awami League called for a peace rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on the same date.
Home minister Asaduzzaman said no parties have been granted permission to hold a rally in Dhaka on 28 October so far.
The DMP commissioner knows better what the BNP exactly said in their application for the rally. "We have heard that they declared to bring all the BNP supporters from the country to Dhaka. A different situation may arise if such a large number of people come to Dhaka,” he said, adding it is up to the DMP chief where he should permit the BNP rally.
When asked if there would be any blockades on the entry routes to the capital, he said, "Why should we block the entry routes to Dhaka ? People come to Dhaka for various reasons, including jobs, business, and so on.
“We will not block any of the entry routes to Dhaka. If they stay in a place peacefully and return home, then we have nothing to say. We will not restrict them,” he added.
