Dhaka – The BNP-led 19-party alliance is set to stage demonstrations across the country on Saturday protesting the law enforcers’ obstruction to their January-29 black-flag processions, killing and forced disappearances of their leaders and activists and repression on them. The demonstrations will be held in all the divisional cities, district towns and upazila headquarters throughout the country also to mount pressure on the government to cancel the January 5 elections.The BNP-led 19-party alliance has deferred its Saturday’s scheduled rally in the city to Sunday for the smooth inauguration of Amar Ekushey Book Fair. “We’ve decided to shift our scheduled rally for Saturday in the city’s Suhrawardy Udyan to Sunday to facilitate the inauguration of the Ekushey Book Fair and the second phase of the Biswa Ijtema,” BNP office secretary Abdul Latif Jony told journalists on Friday night.
He, however, said the 19-party will stage its demonstrations in other parts of the country as per its schedule protesting the law enforcers’ obstruction to their January-29 black-flag processions, killing and forced disappearances of its leaders and activists and repression on them.
Its programme is also meant for mounting pressure on the government to cancel the January 5 elections.
Jony said they had earlier sought permission from Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities for holding their rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan.
Mentioning that police still did not give them permission for the rally, the BNP leader said they have also informed the DMP about their changed decision.
He hoped that people will allow them to hold their rally, which is expected to begin at 3pm, in the city on Monday.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday announced the programme at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office in the city.
The 19-party alliance was scheduled to take out black-flag processions across the country, including the capital, on Wednesday protesting the sitting of the 10th parliament formed through what the party said January-5 ‘farcical and voter-less’ elections. The 10th parliament went into its maiden session on Wednesday.
But the party could not stage the programme in the capital as the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) denied them permission for holding the programme. The law enforcers also reportedly attacked the 19-party’s black-flag processions in different parts of the country, prompting the alliance to announce the countrywide demonstration programmes.
BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press release on Friday called upon the leaders and activists of the 19-party and their associate bodies to spontaneously participate in the protest programme to make it a success. The 19-party alliance was scheduled to take out black-flag processions across the country, including the capital, on Wednesday protesting the sitting of the 10th parliament formed through what the party said January-5 ‘farcical and voter-less’ elections. – UNB
