The BNP has sought the permission of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to hold their January 3 and 5 rallies at either of the venues at Shurawardy Udyan, Motijheel Shapla Chattar and Paltan Intersection.
Abdul Latif Jony, an assistant office secretary of the BNP, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have sent two separate letters to the DMP and PWD authorities, seeking their permission to hold the rallies successfully.”
“In the letter, we have sought permission to hold the rallies at either of the venues at Shurawardy Udyan, Motijheel Shapla Chattar and Paltan Intersection, in front of our headquarters.”
Earlier, the BNP-led 20-party alliance planned to hold public rallies on January 2 and 5 to mount pressure on the government to hold national election under a non-partisan government.
The alliance’s movement to topple the government would get a new dimension if they were denied to hold the rallies in the capital, said party insiders, because in that case tough programmes such as hartals and blockades would be enforced.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP chairperson’s Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo, Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas, Dhaka city unit BNP Member Secretary Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel held an hour long meeting with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence on Saturday.
A senior leader of the party told the Dhaka Tribune that these decisions were made in that meeting.
However, they later decided to hold the rallies on January 3 and 5.
“If the government denies us the permission to hold the rallies, hartal and blockade-like programmes might be announced,” a senior leader said.
