Tension is mounting in Chittagong after both the governing Awami League and main opposition BNP Sunday set October 25 as the date for rallies at Laldighi Maidan in the port city.
ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, president of AL, Chittagong city unit, in a press conference in his residence on Sunday said they would hold a rally at Laldighi Maidan on October 24 and 25.
“We have sought permission from Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) to hold the rally,” he said. Police, however, said they had given no such permission.
Meanwhile, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, president of BNP, Chittagong city unit, in a meeting at the party’s city office in the afternoon vowed to hold their rally at the same venue.
Khasru said they sought permission from Government Muslim High School as the school is the owner of the ground, and also CMP, prior to AL, and they had already obtained the school permission. When contacted, Amir Kashru said the ruling party was trying to create a confrontational environment in the country.
Nazrul Islam, assistant commissioner of City Special Branch (CSB) of CMP, told Dhaka Tribune on Sunday evening that they had not given permission to either party.
AL lawmaker and its Presidium Member Engineer Mosarraf Hossain said every party has the democratic right to hold a rally but doing it at the same venue and on the same day promises further instability.
“We do not want to invite any chaos in the name of politics,” he said.
CMP Additional Commissioner (crime and operation) Banaz Kumar Majumdar said: “We will take decision over the matter after a discussion.”
Meanwhile, Chittagong city unit of BNP called another rally at Laldhigi Maidan on October 26.
