Venue for Dhaka rally: Tug of war continues between govt and BNP

Staff Reporter :
A tug of war is still continuing between the government and the opposition over the venue for holding BNP’s Dhaka rally on December 10 when both sides are unwilling to budge an inch from their stance so far.
Though there are only five days left for the rally, BNP has not yet agreed to hold their meeting at Suhrawardy Udyan, but said that they would hold the rally at any cost in the capital to make it successful.
About the December 10 rally, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “The rally has to be made successful at any cost as it is the struggle for existence if we want to get back democracy, independence and sovereignty.”
Meanwhile, the police administration has fixed the Suhrawardy Udyan for BNP’s divisional rally, but BNP said that they would only hold the rally at Naya Paltan before their party headquarters.
However, BNP on Monday gave an alternative formula that they would consider any other place, except Suhrawardy Udyan and Turag River bank, for holding their rally inside metropolitan areas.
“If police propose the names of safe places, except Suhrawardy Udyan and Turag River bank, to hold our rally inside metropolitan areas, BNP will consider it. If police want to know about the alternative venue, we will let it know,” BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas said.
He came up with the statement while addressing a press conference in the party’s headquarters at Naya Paltan on Monday.
On the other hand, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq told the media that no permission would be given for holding rally on the streets.
“So far we did not get any alternative proposal from them. We have given them the permission for the rally inside Suhrawardy Udyan,” he added.
Earlier, on Sunday, a BNP delegation met DMP Commissioner at the latter’s office in the capital to talk on the issue of the venue for BNP’s rally.
Sources said that an alternative venue, apart from Naya Paltan and Suhrawardy Udyan, came during the discussion.
The government and the police administration said that they had given the permission for
Suhrawardy Udyan as people suffer endlessly when a rally is held in the streets.
Now BNP has come one step forward with an alternative, saying they are ready to consider another place except Suhrawardy Udyan and Turag River bank.
In reply to a query of the journalists at the press conference, Mirza Abbas said, “If police ask about our choice, we will let it know. Right now we will not tell it.”
BNP has so far completed rallies in nine divisional cities, but they did not face such difficulties obtaining the permission for venues.
From those rallies, BNP has been saying that they would hold the final rally in the capital at the Naya Paltan where their party workers and leaders would arrive from the whole country.
BNP also said that they would peacefully conclude their Dhaka rally as they had done so in their previous ones.
Centring the BNP’s Dhaka rally, the spokespersons of the ruling party Awami League also repeatedly have been saying that AL leaders and workers would stay at every ward in the capital to keep an eye on BNP rally so that nothing untoward happens.
Meanwhile, in the triennial conference of Noakhali District Awami League on Monday, AL Secretary General Obaidul Quader said, “It is said that BNP wants to occupy Dhaka and the highways on December 10. On that day our leaders and workers from Mahanagar, District, Upazila, Ward, Para and Mohollah will remain alert.”
“BNP wants to hold a rally at their party office because they will carry sticks and fire. BNP says that the spacious Suhrawardy Udyan is a cage,” he added.
Meanwhile, in a view-exchange meeting with Bangladesh Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad in Gulshan, Fakhrul said, “We have our backs to the wall today. The struggle for existence is ahead of us. Our liberation spirit is at stake. Amid such a situation, not only Bangladesh but also people of the whole world are staring at December 10.”
“We will have to make the rally successful at any cost. We have to be ready defying attacks, arrests and cases,” he added.
Criticising the government, he said, “Awami League has established the rule of looting the country by destroying the politics and economy. It is their nature. They rule people by intimidation. They are not with people. They have been exposed.”
Claiming that people across the country have stood up, he said, “Tens of thousands of people participated in the previous rallies. They arrived in the meetings on foot, by bi-cycles, with beaten rice and molasses. They joined the movement for building a happy and prosperous Bangladesh. They wanted nothing but freedom.”
He urged all including the professionals, intellectuals and the people from all walks of life to expedite the movement.
Dhaka City South BNP convener Abdus Salam said, “If permission is not given for Naya Paltan, the rally will be held in the entire Dhaka city. Then nobody will be able to prevent it.”