Tension grips city dwellers

Staff Reporter :
Tension is running high among the city dwellers as the country’s two confronting major political parties-the ruling Awami League (AL) and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-have finally succeeded in holding their counter grand rallies on Friday in the capital Dhaka at their earlier declared venues.
After a lot dramas and uncertainty, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have at last given permission to the BNP and Awami League’s three associate bodies to hold their rallies at Nayapaltan and south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque respectively.

Initially the BNP had announced its grand rally on July 27 and subsequently rescheduled the same on Friday to avoid confrontational politics. But the ruling Awami League, virtually in a show of strength, very quickly rescheduled its July 24 youth rally on July 27 and again deferred its programme to July 28 (Friday).
The AL has adopted this strategy apparently to put up a challenge to the political stance of the BNP and its allies demanding resignation of the government to pave the way for holding the next parliament election under a nonpartisan caretaker administration.

The common people, including various service holders and professionals, have bitterly criticized the ruling party for its intention of calling counter rallies on the days of BNP programme, which already led to acts violence on different occasions across the country in recent times.
The city dwellers are of the opinion that the AL’s intentional counter programmessimultaneously with the BNP is nothing, but a clearattempt to instigate conflicts between the two parties.

Meanwhile, many school students have already refused to attend coaching classes fearing chaotic situation on the day of AL-BNP grand rallies in the capital .
Besides, a dozen of various government and private officials, bankers and semi-government officials expressed their deep concern fearing possible clashes centering the rallies.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had said that the government will be responsible if any occurrence is happened centring the rallies as AL announced their programme on the same day changing its earlier announcement.

He also alleged that the AL intentionally announced the programme on the same day with a view to creating a confronting situation in the country.
On the other hand, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader had said that there will be no conflict over the rallies.He also said that the BNP will be responsible if any untoward situation is occurred centering the rallies.

A senior banker, on condition of anonymity, said, “We don’t understand why the AL announces their programmes on the same day after announcement of any programme by the BNP. Do we think that the AL has no programme of its own. The party is following the BNP programmes only to flex its muscle power.” He further said that it is nothing but an attempt to create a chaotic environment in the country.

“We have never seen BNP has vandalised or carried out destructive activities in the recent days during their peaceful programmes across the country. Some incidents have already taken place as the the AL activists took to the streets in the name of ‘peace rally’,” he said in reply to a query.

Abul Hossain, a rickshaw puller of Motijheel, said that he doesn’t know why AL announces progammes similar to the BNP on the same day.
“We have seen BNP organised several rallies in Dhaka since December to till date. Their programmes were very peaceful, but AL leaders and activists have interrupted BNP men in several places in the name of peace rally. Even, the AL men beat up BNP men unnecessarily. We don’t support such kind of activities. We want peace and want to live peacefully,” he added.