The ruling Awami League and its affiliates gathered at different spots of the capital to observe the “Victory Day of Democracy” yesterday and resist BNP’s counter programmes.
Several leaders and activists of the Awami League were also seen on some important roads with banners and festoons.
The Awami Swadhinota League brought out a procession in the morning to observe the first anniversary of the 10th parliamentary election, defying the ban on all political activities placed by Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
Members of the Awami Mahila League were seen taking part in all the party programmes.
However, the Awami League postponed its scheduled rallies in Dhaka yesterday. The party members also did not chant slogans when they gathered.
Following Khaleda Zia’s announcement of non-stop blockade, the Awami League-led 14-party alliance also suspended its previously scheduled rally at the Central Shaheed Minar today, said a press release.
Speaking at a gathering in front of the Awami League headquarters at Bangabandhu Avenue, party leader Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said: “Khaleda Zia was forcibly trying to fight, but the people of the country did not respond to her. People are celebrating the Victory Day of Democracy.”
About Khaleda’s alleged confinement, he said: “Neither the Awami League nor the law enforcers have deployed the sand-laden trucks in front of Khaleda Zia’s office. The trucks might have been kept there by Khaleda’s people for renovation purpose.”
Meanwhile, the pro-Awami League and pro-BNP factions in Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists organised separate meetings at the National Press Club.
Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said: “Today we are celebrating the Victory Day of Democracy, because there would not be any democracy if the national election were not held on January 5.”
He said: “Even though BNP-Jamaat boycotted the elections and tried to create anarchy at the time, the people of the country took part in the polls. And now, they have declared to observe democracy killing day on January 5 because they want to ruin the day.
“The Pakistani agent BNP-Jamaat alliance planned violent activities to spoil the day, but the public responded to the call of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and took to the streets to observe the day,” the Awami League leader said.
“People do not fear BNP’s threats. In fact, their leaders and activists were not seen on the streets because of the fear of the public,” he added.
Earlier, Awami League’s Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak said the ruling party’s rallies at 16 spots throughout the city were suspended “out of respect for law.”
“The Awami League is a responsible political party. Out of respect for law, we halted our rallies in the capital,” Nanak told reporters at the prime minister’s political office at Dhanmondi yesterday morning.
“But we are observing carefully that the BNP and Jamaat, led by Khaleda Zia, are hatching a conspiracy,” he said.
The DMP officials made no comments about Awami League’s gatherings in the capital yesterday when approached by journalists.
However, at a press conference in his office, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal claimed that he had no information about Awami League’s gatherings or processions. “If I get such complaints, they will be stopped,” he added.
In another press conference at the prime minister’s political office in Dhanmondi, Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim said: “The BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists have gone into hiding after announcing their programmes.”
To the BNP leaders, Nasim said: “Your (BNP’s) activities do not indicate to a real movement. Police will put up barricades, but you would have to break it, which is what we did when you were in power.
“However, If they try to create violence and cause sufferings to the country’s people in the name of movement, we will not tolerate it and take strict actions to resist it.”
Later in the evening, Awami League presidium member Obaidul Quader addressed another press conference at Dhanmondi, where he urged the nation to reject the blockade announced by Khaleda Zia.
In another press release issued around 8:30pm yesterday from Awami League’s Dhanmondi Office, Hanif urged the party leaders and activists to be present at the 16 important locations, including the Suhrawardy Udyan, across the city to resist BNP’s blockade.
Tension has been prevailing across the country due to the political unrest and confrontation centring the counter programmes declared by the Awami League and BNP for January 5.
The BNP had declared to observe the day as the “Democracy Killing Day,” while the Awami League was set to celebrate the “Victory Day of Democracy.”
