The BNP is looking for an alternative to Naya Paltan and Suhrawardy Udyan for the party's much-hyped rally scheduled for December 10.
A delegation from the party sat with the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner on Sunday afternoon to discuss the matter, Joint Secretary General Amanullah Aman told the media.
They entered the DMP Headquarters at Minto Road at 3:50pm. After the meeting, Amanullah Aman said: “A third location could host the BNP rally on December 10. To find that location, police and BNP leader Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie will meet again.”
The BNP leaders also requested the police not to arrest or harass the party leaders and activists on the day of the rally, Aman added.
The delegation included Organizing Secretary Abdus Salam Azad, Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, and Publicity Secretary Annie.
The DMP earlier granted the BNP permission to arrange the Dhaka rally at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan. But the party's Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir trashed the proposal immediately and announced his resolve to hold the program in front of the party's central office at Naya Paltan.
Also Read
- Dec 10 rally venue: DMP expected to inform BNP by Monday
- 15 BNP leaders sued over cocktail explosion in front of party's Naya Paltan office
During an emergency press briefing at the central office Sunday, Fakhrul said the party softened its stance on holding the rally at Naya Paltan, and would consider it if the government proposed a suitable venue that is not Suhrawardy Udyan.
Furthermore, he accused the government of unnecessarily creating anarchy and conflict over a peaceful and democratic program.
“Our Dhaka rally will be the most successful and peaceful one. So, we urge the government not to create any instability by trying to divert our program to a different direction,” Fakhrul said.
Regarding the Molotov cocktail explosion in front of the central office on Saturday, the BNP leader alleged that the government was trying to destabilize Naya Paltan through sabotage.
“Yesterday (Saturday), a cocktail explosion took place in front of our central office in Naya Paltan. After this explosion, the police are suddenly arresting our leaders and activists and taking them to the police station,” he added.
Fakhrul said that the police have blocked the BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's house with a check post barricade in the shape of a sand truck.
“This is another new level of oppression on our leader. I strongly condemn and protest such despicable behaviour of the government,” he said, demanding that the barricade be immediately lifted.
He claimed that the Awami League government was constantly trying to kill a popular leader by imprisoning her in a false case and blocking all avenues of treatment.
He further said that by blocking her residence and threatening to send her to jail, the government violated the BNP chairperson's human rights.
He also alleged that Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal President Sultan Salahuddin Tuku and Vice President Nur Islam Nayan were picked up by police on their way back to Dhaka from Saturday's rally in Rajshahi, even though the two leaders do not have any cases filed against them.
“Police are conducting raids on bachelors' house, residential hotels and houses in the name of arresting militants. This attack by the police is mainly for the arrest, harassment and panic on BNP leaders and activists. I strongly condemn this heinous plot,” Fakhrul said.
15 BNP leaders sued
Fifteen leaders of the BNP and 50-60 unidentified persons have been sued in connection with the cocktail explosion. Paltan model police station SI Shamim Hossain filed the case under the Explosives Act on Sunday.
According to the case statement, the 50-60 unidentified people belong to the BNP and its affiliates.
The accused in the case are Tariqul Islam, Abu Bakkar, BNP activist Abu Chayed Patwari, Dhaka south unit Jubo Dal Convener Golam Maula Shahin, Paltan Thana Jubo Dal General Secretary Leon Hossain, BNP Ward No 13 General Secretary Sarfuddin Kham Munna, Dhaka south unit BNP Joint Convener Sekender Qadir, Paltan Thana Chhatra Dal Member Secretary Maudud Ahmed and Paltan Thana Chhatra Dal Joint Convener Mahbubur Rahman Imtiaz.
Some BNP activists said someone might have thrown the cocktail from a moving car at around 6pm.
Paltan police station OC Salahuddin Mia on Saturday told UNB that five or six people had been detained from the site of the explosion for questioning.
Additional forces were deployed in the area to avoid any untoward situation.
