Despite getting the permission, BNP’s student wing Chhatra Dal has decided not to hold a rally in the capital today saying the permission given was too late for them to make preparations.
“We wrote to Dhaka Metropolitan Police on December 15 seeking permission for a rally on January 2 marking the founding anniversary of our organisation. On December 29, they [DMP] gave us verbal permission against some conditions. But it is not possible for us to arrange the programme within such a short time,” Abdus Sattar Patwari, office secretary of Chhatra Dal, told the Dhaka Tribune.
The BNP alleges that the administration has not been allowing it or any of its associate bodies to hold rallies in Dhaka. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was scheduled to address the Chhatra Dal rally.
Earlier this month, BNP backtracked from holding a rally on a college playground in Gazipur near Dhaka despite announcing that it was going to stage its programme at any cost even if the administration did not allow them to.
Gazipur district authorities enforced section 144 on the playground after ruling Awami League’s student front Chhatra League called a rally of their own at the same venue and time. None of the rallies were held in the end.
Later the BNP-led 20-party alliance staged a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal on December 29 protesting what they said was government’s plot to foil their programme. Sources said the party its allies have big plans for January 3 and 5 marking the anniversary of what they say was a “one-sided election.”
The programmes marking its 35th founding anniversary is seen as an acid test for the new committee of the Chhatra Dal. Soon after the committee was announced a few months ago, many leaders of the organisation who thought they were deprived openly and loudly expressed their discontent.
According to a Chhatra Dal insider, as their president, general secretary, organising secretary and other leaders are facing arrest, the organisation has decided not to hold the rally.
“Some of our top leaders are now hiding fearing arrest. If we hold a rally, they will have to come out in the open. This is not the right time to take any risk,” seeking anonymity, a Chhatra Dal leader told the Dhaka Tribune.
Meanwhile, the BNP has not yet got DMP’s go ahead for holding a rally at the Suhrawardy Uddyan in the capital on January 5 to mark what is calls the “democracy killing day.”
Recently, a delegation of BNP, led by chairperson’s adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo, went to the DMP office to know the latest about their application for permission; but they did not get any answer.
Abdul Latif Jony, assistant office secretary of BNP, said: “We went to the DMP office but could not meet any high official. We were told that everyone was working in the control room because of the [Jamaat] hartal.”
The party sought permission from the DMP and the Public Works Department (PWD) to hold rallies on January 3 and 5 either at the Suhrawardy Udyan, or in Nayapaltan or the Shapla intersection in Motijheel.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia labelled January 5 as the “democracy killing day” and said her party would stage demonstrations across the country.
She also asked the government not to bar their programmes.