Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been deployed in the capital and some other important places across the country on Sunday evening, ahead of the January 5 rally of the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
"The BGB personnel have been deployed at 6pm this evening to assist police in maintaining law and order," BGB Public Relation Officer Mohsin Reza told the Dhaka Tribune.
On December 22, the BNP applied to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and the Public Works Department (PWD), seeking permission to hold a rally at either the Suhrawardy Udyan or Nayapaltan or the Shapla Intersection in Motijheel.
The BNP is looking to observe January 5 as the “democracy killing day.”
However, the Awami League by then had already sought permission from the administration to hold several rallies in the city on the same day, which for them is the “victory day of democracy.”
The BNP said that it would try to hold its pre-scheduled January 5 Dhaka rally even if they are denied of permission by the authorities. On the other hand, State Minister for Home Affairs warned of strong resistance to any attempt for sabotage on Jan 5.
On the eve of the January 5 election anniversary, the country appears to be sitting on another explosive political situation, with both BNP and Awami League hell-bent on staging showdowns in the capital, and the administration discussing the possibilities of banning political programmes.
For months, the BNP has been talking and making preparations about reminding people big time about what they say was an “illegal and one-sided election” that took place exactly a year ago.
On the other hand, the ruling Awami League has also been trying to charge up its leaders and activists to remain visible and active on the streets in order to prevent what they say was “BNP-Jamaat's attempt to create anarchy in the name of a movement.”