Police take control over BNP’s Gazipur rally venue

Gazipur, UNB : Police took control over Bhawal College Ground on Thursday, amid growing tension over Bangladesh Chhatra League’s stance not to allow BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to attend a rally called by the 20-party alliance on the venue on Saturday. With only a day left before the scheduled rally, the 20-party alliance is yet to get the permission from the local administration while the police personnel deployed on the venue are also barring BNP activists from making arrangements for the rally. However, police allowed Chhatra League activists to stay on the venue till filing of the report at about 7 pm. The district unit of Chhatra League, the student associate body of the ruling Awami League, on December 20 warned that they will not allow BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to enter the district until Tarique Rahman apologizes for calling Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman a ‘Razakar’. On Thursday, Chhatra League and Jubo League activists also brought out a procession on the college campus with sticks, keeping in line with the warning. Chhatra Shibir activists also brought out a procession on the college campus as a counter showdown. Local BNP leaders have also expressed their firm determination to arrange the rally at any cost and continued their mass campaign for the rally. BNP chairperson’s adviser and Gazipur City Corporation mayor Prof MA Mannan along with other BNP leaders in the district also met the district’s deputy commissioner M Nurul Islam and sought permission to arrange their peaceful rally on the scheduled day. Mazharul Alam, general secretary of the district unit of BNP, said whatever the obstacles are there, the BNP chairperson will arrive and address the rally. If not allowed to enter the college ground, the activists and supporters will gather from Tongi to Chandina intersection in the city, he added. Meanwhile, superintendent of police of the district Harun-ur-Rashid told reporters that they will not let anyone to enter and neither allow any political programme on the venue until both sides reach a consensus.