NN Online:
Police have been deployed in large numbers outside the central office of the Jatiya Party in the Bijoynagar area of the capital, maintaining a heightened state of alert. Strict security measures are in place, preventing party leaders and activists, as well as the general public, from gathering in the area.
On Saturday afternoon, a significant police presence was observed around the Jatiya Party office and nearby streets. When curious onlookers attempted to gather, police swiftly dispersed them.
In a statement to Bangla Tribune, Jewel Rana, Additional Police Commissioner (ADC) of the Ramna Division, explained that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has prohibited any gatherings, processions, or protests in the Pioneer Road and Kakrail areas. He noted that the Jatiya Party and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement had previously announced a planned gathering, which both groups later decided to suspend. Given this ban on gatherings, police increased security at the Jatiya Party office to prevent any potential incidents.
The increased security follows an incident on October 31, where the Jatiya Party’s central office in Bijoynagar was attacked, vandalized, and set on fire. A group had marched under the banner of “Anti-Fascist Students, Workers, and People,” leading to clashes that involved stone-throwing and subsequent arson.
Both parties involved in the altercation claimed they were attacked first. The march had been announced by former president of the Student Rights Council, Bin Yamin Mollah, with participants lighting torches and marching from the Raju Sculpture at Dhaka University. Tensions escalated as the marchers approached the Jatiya Party office, leading to a confrontational standoff with party activists.