Defying a ban imposed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Khaleda Zia is “determined” to join a convention of Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad, a pro-BNP professionals’ body, in the city today.
“Khaleda Zia will join the programme as chief guest and will speak there,” Syrul Kabir Khan, an official of BNP chairperson’s press wing, told the Dhaka Tribune.
If the government “tried to create any obstruction” on Khaleda’s movement, BNP would go for tougher agitation like hartal, said a BNP standing committee member.
BNP sources said today’s national convention of the Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad would to take place at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at Agargaon defying the ban.
In the face of growing tension over possible political violence, police Saturday imposed the ban on all sorts of mass gatherings including rally, procession, agitation, sit-ins and human chain in the capital for an indefinite period from 6am today.
“The ban will be applicable for both outdoor and indoor programmes,” Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told the Dhaka Tribune.
“The decision has been taken to ease panic spread among people due to some upcoming [political] programmes.”
In a late night development, main opposition BNP announced demonstrations in district headquarters for today in protest against the ban.
On condition of anonymity, a senior police official last night told the Dhaka Tribune that the ban was imposed mainly to avoid any possible “political violence or violent political program.”
The source claimed they had intelligence information that under the cover of the BNP’s October 25 rally and future programmes, the Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam and some Islamist militants were “preparing to create anarchy” in the capital and other places.
The sense of insecurity among the people was gradually deepening since the second week of this month when two major parties ruling Awami League and opposition BNP started moving ahead with their plans to hold public rallies in the capital on October 25.
A couple of days ahead of starting countdown of the 90-day-period for holding elections, BNP fixed October 25 to hold a rally and to announce more programmes like shutdowns and laying siege to capital by continuous political programmes demanding a non-partisan caretaker government. The Awami League was also preparing for a counter rally the same day.
The BNP is also organising series of programmes with their like-minded parties and professionals’ and other bodies prior to the rally.
These political developments triggered apprehension among the people before Eid and Durga Puja festivals. Their fear intensified since last week when BNP Vice-Chairmen and Convener of the city unit Sadeque Hossain Khoka asked the party men to get ready with “machetes and axe to resist any ploy to foil” the BNP’s October 25 rally. BNP’s Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also warned the government of “dire consequences” if it tried to obstruct the rally.
Terming the DMP’s ban “undemocratic,” BNP’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir Saturday said: “The government has imposed ban through police so that the opposition cannot wage movement demanding election under a non-partisan government.”
He said the DMP had clamped down the ban also to foil the pro-BNP Peshajibi Parishad’s programme scheduled for today.
The announcement of the ban came shortly after a BNP delegation visited the DMP headquarters. The leaders went there for seeking permission to hold the rally on October 25.
Later, DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed issued a press release saying several rival parties had called for programmes of meetings and rallies in the capital from October 20.
“Ahead of the rallies, some quarters have made dangerously inciting speeches in public that hampers people’s safety and security,” said the press release.
The police commissioner said they had imposed the ban in line with the DMP Ordinance.
However, some ruling party leaders have blamed the BNP for the police ban.
Awami League Presidium member Kari Zafarullah told the Dhaka Tribune that there was panic among the people about October 25 as the BNP leaders had made several times “provocative” remarks about their rally.
“The government is concerned about violence on that day, so it took such a decision to avoid any unwanted situation,” he said.
Awami League’s Dhaka City unit acting president MA Aziz said: “We [Awami League] have respect towards the law and as the Awami League is a democratic organisation it has postponed the party rally of October 25 showing respect to the DMP decision.”
