Khulna cut off from rest of the country

Staff Reporter :
Khulna is virtually cut off from the rest of the country by road and river routes ahead of the BNP’s third grand rally to be held in Khulna City today protesting government’s ‘misrule’.
The ruling party Awami League and its associate organisations including Chhatra League, Juba League and Sramik League have been patrolling the Khulna city and beyond.
Equipped with sticks, different groups of ruling party workers checked every vehicle and if anybody linked with the rally was found, he or she was subjected to harassment, BNP says.
Meanwhile, BNP claimed that about 60 of their leaders and workers had been detained by the law enforcers and some 50 were attacked by ruling party men to prevent their spontaneous participation.
Protesting the government’s ‘misrule’, ‘failure’ to control price hike of daily essentials, ‘painful’ loadshedding, killing of party leaders and activists, ‘killing’ of democracy, demanding release of party workers who have been arrested under ‘false’ cases and unconditional release of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, BNP is holding these programmes.
Out of the 10 grand rallies in 10 divisional cities including the capital, BNP has already held two rallies in Chattogram and Mymensingh overlooking multiple obstructions.
They, however, said, with determination that no obstruction can stop them from holding their rallies as the party leaders and workers as well as people have stood on foot spontaneously against government’s ‘misrule’.
They further said that the more they would proceed with their rallies, the more mounting obstruction they would face, nothing can stop them from holding peaceful programmes.
Meanwhile, Many BNP central and local leaders and workers from different districts reached the venue with minimum logistics like water and dry food ahead of the suspension of bus services from Friday midnight till Saturday.
Finding no buses, many workers
reached Khulna by trawlers or on barefoot.
Meanwhile, BNP claimed that police have been searching their houses and hotels in Khulna and arrested their leaders and workers.
BNP Standing Committee Member Goyeswar Chandra Roy reached Khulna on Thursday afternoon and he was staying in the resident of a BNP leader in Basupara area in the city where some of their leaders and workers went to meet him.
At that time police raided the house and detained 13 of their leaders and workers, BNP alleged.
Goyeswar said, “Some people equipped with sticks and pistols on waists entered the house. It is difficult to recognise them as policemen. They picked up 13 of our workers.”
Office-in-Charge of Sonadanga Police Station Momtajul Islam said, “We are detaining people who are in the lists of warrants. It is a part of our regular task.”
Even BNP alleged that some 50 of their leaders and workers came under attacks of the ruling party in different places of Bagherhat.
Sarankhola Upazila Acting President Nazrul Islam said, “Many of our party leaders and workers on Thursday were forced to leave the buses in which they were heading for Khulna rally and came under attack.”
He said that the government has taken steps to foil our rally by suspending bus services, but such steps have been badly affecting the common people’s movement for the urgent needs.
The suspension of bus services has caused immense sufferings of the mass people including job seekers who had an examination on Friday.
Due to suspension, the Khulna bound buses from Kushtia, Chuadanga, Meherpur and Jhenaidah ended their journey at Jashore bus terminal on Friday. From there the passengers are going to their destinations by auto-rickshaws or Nosimon or Korimon, causing huge sufferings to people.
People as well as the job seekers and patients in Bagherhat faced immense sufferings as bus services in all upazilas including Bagherhat Sadar has remained suspended since Friday morning.
These people arrived at the Bagherhat Central Bus Terminal on Friday morning, but they felt frustrated for the suspension of bus services.
Many people tried to catch vans, easy bikes and rickshaws to reach their destination at a high fare. Many were seen walking down the streets to reach their destination with much difficulty.
Meanwhile, ahead of the rally, the Launch Workers Union in Khulna called a 48-hour strike with their 10-point demand from Friday.
As a result, the launch service was suspended from Khulna to Dacope, Koyra and Satkhira. However, launch owners said that there was no relation between the strike and the rally.
Meanwhile, BNP Vice Chairman and convener of the rally implementation committee in Khulna BNP party office on Friday urged all including police administration to refrain from provocative action.
“A culture of fear is prevailing in Khulna division to foil the grand rally. The buses are off the streets. Launches and trawlers are off. Will the BNP leaders and workers from Chuadanga, Meherpur, Bagherhat, Narail reach Khulna on foot? Will they swim to cross rivers? What kind of mentality is it? Men, women and children shed blood in the independence war for liberation and democracy. What has happened with the country?” he questioned.
City BNP Member Secretary Shafiqul Islam said, “Some 60 leaders and workers were arrested from different districts. A culture of terror is prevailing due to police action. A rehearsal of hockey sticks and machetes is going on everywhere.”
Thanking the administration for giving prompt permission for the rally in Khulna, he said, “Allow us to hold a peaceful rally. It’s a rally for the restoration of democracy, a rally to protest the killing of our men, and release of Khaleda Zia. I urge party men to make the rally successful.”