The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is set to hold a grand rally in Dhaka today amid arrests, intimidation and fear of violence, while the ruling Awami League will also stage a rally today at a nearby venue in the city.
Alongside the BNP, a number of other opposition parties and alliances, including the Ganatantra Mancha, are also scheduled to hold simultaneous rallies in the capital, while some other parties along with Jamaat-e-Islami and AB Party are also scheduled to hold separate rallies to drive home the demand for resignation of the prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government and handing over power to a non-partisan government to hold the next general election.
The BNP and most of its allies will hold demonstrations at the spots merely around 1.5 kilometres away from the venue of AL rally, as the police have allowed BNP to hold its grand rally in front of the party’s Naya Paltan central office, while the AL at the south plaza of Baitul Mukkaram National Mosque in the Gulistan area.
The police, however, did not give permission to Jamaat for holding rally in the city.
Meanwhile, the BNP alleged that the police arrested its over 1500 leaders and activists from different parts of the country in last five days ahead of the grand rally.
While thousands of BNP activists are believed to be lying low in the capital to participate in today’s rally, the ruling Awami League brought out processions on Friday in different parts of the capital with slogans threatening action against their main opponent.
On October 18, the BNP announced a grand rally to be held on October 28 in Dhaka from a demonstration held in front of the party’s Naya Paltan central office to press home its one-point demand for the government’s resignation. Around the same time some 36 other political parties also announced rallies in the city on the same date, pressing the same demand.
Later on, the AL also declared that it would hold a ‘peace and development’ rally at the south plaza of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on October 28.
Alongside BNP, Ganatantra Mancha will hold a rally in Matsya Bhaban area at 3:00pm, the 12-party alliance in Bijoy Nagar area at 2:00pm, Jatiyatabadi Samamana Jote in Purana Paltan area at 12:00 noon, the Liberal Democratic Party in Karwan Bazar area at 3:00pm, Gono Forum and People’s Party jointly in Motijheel area at 12:00 noon, Nurul Haque Nur-led Gana Odhikar Parishad in Bijoy Nagar area at 11:00am, Reza Kibria-led Gana Odhikar Parishad in Purana Paltan area at 3:00pm, the four-party Democratic Left Alliance in Press Club area at 12:00 noon, the Bangladesh Labour Party in Purana Paltan area at 4:00pm, Samamana Jatiyatabadi Peshajibi Jote in Press Club area at 11:00am, the Bangladesh Sadharon Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad in Shahbagh area at 3:00pm and Janatar Odhikar Party in Bijoy Nagar area at 2:00pm.
Ahead of the grand rally, at a press conference on Friday at the party central office at Naya Paltan, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called on the common people to join today’s demonstration to say ‘no’ to the government.
‘Join tomorrow’s [Saturday] grand rally and tell the government in clear terms, “no, no more”,’ the BNP leader urged the people.
He also alleged that many leaders and activists of the party have already been arrested and sentenced ahead of the rally.
The BNP leader said that each of the programmes of his party has been very successful as great numbers of people are taking part in them.
Having condemned the government, Fakhrul said that by arresting BNP leaders and activists, the ruling Awami League is trying to hold a one-sided election once again as they did in 2014 and 2018.
He termed the present government as ‘dangerously fascist’ and ‘illegal’, declaring that holding a fair election keeping the present government in power is impossible.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters in Brahamanbaria on Friday, law minister Anisul Huq warned that the law enforcement agencies will take action if the grand rally of the BNP stirs a chaotic situation.
‘Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has made it clear that it is the right of a political party to hold a movement. But if they cause chaos, there are law enforcement agencies to take action,’ he said.
In Dhaka, at a press conference at the AL Bangabandhu Avenue central office, party general secretary Obaidul Quader directed the ruling party’s leaders and activists to remain on high alert to thwart any such attempts.
‘BNP has sinister motives. They can resort to violence by joining hands with a communal force. For this reason, Awami League leaders and activists must be on constant alert,’ Quader said.
He said that led by the BNP and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, local and foreign vested interest groups have become desperate to create instability in the country.
‘These anti-liberation forces burned people to death in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Their predecessors committed war crimes in 1971 by joining hands with the invading forces of Pakistan,’ the AL general secretary said.
On the other hand, several hundred BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of the party central office at Naya Paltan on Friday morning with their number increasing as the day wore away and the night fell.
On Friday afternoon, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police was seen installing over 60 CCTV cameras around the BNP central office area.
DMP’s Detective Branch chief Harun-Or-Rashid visited the spot.
‘The cameras are being set up to maintain security during tomorrow’s [today’s] rally and ensure the safety of the common people who might join,’ the police officer said.
The footage from the cameras will be analysed through a central monitoring system, he added.
Though doubts were raised about getting permission for the rallies to be held at the desired venues, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Friday night assured that the parties will be allowed to have programmes at their chosen venues.
