A 24-hour political drama at the National Press Club finally reached its climax yesterday afternoon with the arrest of BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
The second-in-command of the party had taken refuge at the press club since Monday afternoon amid tensions over the BNP and Awami League’s parallel and confrontational programmes to mark the anniversary of the January 5 general election.
The drama started on Monday when Fakhrul was at the press club to observe the anniversary of the general election as the Democracy Killing Day.
The Peshajibi Parishad, a pro-BNP professionals’ body, arranged a programme together with pro-BNP journalists at the National Press Club auditorium. Fakhrul attended the meeting and delivered a speech at the function.
At the same time, pro-AL journalists held a meeting inside the club under the banner of Jangibadbirodhi Sangbadik Samabesh (anti-militancy journalists’ rally] marking January 5 as the Day for the Victory of Democracy.
Around 3:30pm on Monday, as Fakhrul was about to leave the club, the situation deteriorated and the opposing groups began chanting slogans against each other, witnesses said.
Pro-AL journalists claim that at one point, pro-BNP journalists and their supporters entered the main premises of the press club and vandalised the plaque of martyred journalists.
Prime minister’s information adviser blamed opposition journalists for the vandalism, but the president of the National Press Club has accused pro-AL activists for it.
A fight broke out when Muktijoddha Projonmo League activists, a pro-AL group, entered the club premises with sticks. Activists of the Muktijoddha Projonmo League entered the club by scaling the gate and chased anti-AL activists with sticks.
They, together with a large number of law enforcement personnel, had earlier taken position outside the main gate.
At least five people were injured when supporters of the two opposing parties clashed with each other.
Fakhrul then fled into the press club building and took shelter in the general secretary’s room, where he spent the night. The Press Club remained in the grips of confrontation and debate all yesterday as the opposing sides weighed in on Fakhrul taking refuge there.
Both pro-AL and pro-BNP journalists declared counter programmes over the BNP leader’s presence at the club.
Around 1:30pm yesterday, pro-AL members of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and the Dhaka Union of Journalists jointly addressed the media in the club seminar room.
The two bodies said at the press conference that the use of Press Club for political asylum was contradictory to club rules. Non-journalists could not take shelter there and Fakhrul must leave the premises, they said.
Prime Minister’s Media Affairs Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said the Press Club is meant for journalists and journalistic activities, not for political parties. “It is not meant for any kind of political drama,” he said.
He blamed the pro-BNP faction for vandalising the martyred pressmen’s memorial plaque. He urged club authorities not to allow the premises to be used as a place for political asylum.
Defending Fahkrul’s stay at the club, pro-BNP journalists arranged another press conference where pro-BNP journalist leader Shawkat Mahmud said: “The Press Club has a tradition of showing hospitality towards political leaders. The recent behaviour of some of our fellow journalists has destroyed our unity.”
After the press conference, Fakhrul entered the VIP Lounge around 3:40pm for a press briefing of his own amid clamour which soon settled down after he began speaking.
Fakhrul said: “I wanted to leave the Press Club after making my speech yesterday but the police and pro-AL cadres barred my exit. So I remained here along with all of you journalists.” “I did not leave the club last night because of safety concerns,” he said. He blamed the government for making the country “a grave yard.”
“There is no easy environment. There is no democracy. The government has taken away peoples’ rights in every way they like. And the economy is on its way down,” he said.
Mirza Fakhrul said the government is moving towards a one-party state and all the arrangements for it are being taken. “Democracy is achieved through a long-term movement, but it has now become endangered,” he said.
He urge the people to join the 20-party alliance movement.
Outside the Press Club, the Detective Branch (DB) of police were ready with a micro-bus, a prison van and a pick-up parked nearby. As Fakhrul walked towards the exit, supporters of the ruling party shouted slogans against him and his party. AL supporters escorted the BNP leader to the main gate where police took him to the DB office.
Earlier in the day, at 3:15pm, pro-BNP journalist leaders also addressed the media in the VIP lounge of the National Press Club. Shawkat Mahmud, president of the National Press Club, denied pro-AL groups’ accusations, saying a pro-AL programme in front of the Press Club, led by AL leaders, was responsible for the clashes.
“We saw Muktijoddha Projonmo League standing in front of the club. While AL leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif was addressing the demonstration, we suspended our programme for a while to show respect,” he said. He said the Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad had arranged a programme protesting the “fascist” government on the club premises at the same time.
“Mirza Fakhrul gave his speech at this event. While he was speaking, disrespect and slogans were made from the other side,” he said. He blamed the Muktijoddha Projonmo League for vandalising the plaque bearing the names of martyred journalists.
Ruhul Amin Gazi, secretary general of the press club, and Abdul Hye Sikder, president of the Dhaka Journalists Union, were also present. Pro-BNP journalists demanded the immediate release of Fakhrul. “We cannot accept such an attitude. The public has shown in the past that it knows what the remedy is for the restoration of democracy,” Ruhul said.