Police, BCL, AL men obstruct leaders, activists on way to the meeting

Staff Reporter :
Amid the spur of a much awaited BNP rally in Chattogram, held for the first time in a decade on Wednesday, leaders and activists of the party levied widespread allegations against law enforcers for causing various obstacles surrounding the event.
Moreover, BNP further alleged that Chhatra league and Jubo League men barred their leaders and activists from joining the rally in Chattogram and also vandalised their vehicles.
On the other hand, BNP leaders alleged that police both in uniforms and plainclothes conducted raids into houses of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate organisations in Chattogram last night (October 11, 2022).
They claimed that police arrested many leaders and activists and only those who were not home could avoid arrest. But they did not provide any information on the number of leaders held.
BNP leaders said police conducted raids in different residential hotels in the port city and outskirts where BNP leaders and activists from different districts booked rooms to participate in the Wednesday’s rally.
Sources in the BNP said soon after party leaders were apprehended in the raid, they sent instructions to leaders and activists against staying home.
Contacted, Idris Ali, Assistant Office Secretary of Chattogram city unit BNP, said police conducted raids in the houses of president, secretary, and other leaders of BNP in almost every ward in the city on Tuesday night.
Police conducted raids into the houses of Didarul Ferrdous, vice president of city unit Juba Dal, and two other BNP leaders, Habibur Rahman and Aziz Chowdhury at Pahartoli. However, they could avoid arrest as they were not at home, said Idris.
“The intention of the police raid was clear — to thwart our Wednesday’s rally,” he said.
“However, they could not succeed. Defying all odds, hundreds of thousands of people came to the rally to make it successful,” he said.
Abul Hashem Bakkar, joint convener of Chattogram City unit BNP, said “The government and the ruling party wanted to block our rally. That is why they created obstacles at every step.”
“Police raided the houses of our leaders and activists overnight”, he said, adding, “The ruling party activists vandalised vehicles of [BNP] leaders and activists on their way to the rally today. Our leaders and activists were also beaten at various places on their way to the rally.”
“But despite all that, they could not stop the gathering of tens and thousands of people,” Hashem said, adding, “Today this huge gathering has turned into a great sea of people.”
Contacted, Krishna Pada Roy, Commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police, said police conducted routine raids in the city on Tuesday night to arrest fugitive criminals and accused in different cases. “No raid was conducted targeting BNP leaders and activists.”
“Why would we conduct raids in residential hotels and BNP leaders’ houses? We are working to make sure that the BNP rally is held without any untoward incident,” the CMP commissioner added.
Leaders and activists, who are coming to join the rally from all over the country, have faced many hurdles on the way since yesterday, said Idris Ali.
 “We have received complaints that police and the ruling Awami League activists are blocking various points to stop them from joining the event,” he said.
Mentioning the situation in Khagrachari, Idris Ali said BNP leaders and activists, who were travelling via different means of transport to reach the port city, were stopped at various points in Matiranga, Manikchari and Mirsarai since morning.
Chattogram District (north) BNP Joint Convener Nurul Amin claimed that at least 40 BNP leaders and activists were injured in an attack by Chhatra League and Jubo League activists on their way to attend the grand rally.
“The attack took place at Mirsarai’s Zorargonj and Baraiya bazaar around 9am,” he told the media.
After 9 January 2012, the meeting was held in the city’s Pologround to protest against load sheddings, fuel price hikes, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and for the immediate release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The previous political event in Chattogram in 2012 was attended by Khaleda Zia.
Meanwhile, BNP leaders and activists were seen coming towards the rally venue in small processions from the morning. Apart from the Pologround, the city’s Lalkhan Bazar, CRB and Tigerpass areas have been flooded with people causing a gridlock.