Police on Thursday stopped a rally organised by BNP’s Dhaka metropolitan chapter in protest against a spate of abductions and murders.
The rally was to start at 4pm on Thursday at the auditorium of Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) and party chief Khaleda Zia was to attend it as the chief guest.
“Senior officials of Dhaka Metropolitan Police have said we would not be allowed to hold the rally. They said we don’t have permission for the rally,” BNP’s Dhaka metropolitan unit member secretary Abdus Salam told journalists.Salam said they had obtained permission from the IEB authorities. They had also given a letter to the DMP seeking permission, he said.
Noted citizens, editors, senior journalists and foreign envoys were invited to the rally, Salam said.
The party activists were preparing the stage at the auditorium since morning.
DMP Ramna zone Assistant Commissioner Shibli Noman arrived there around 12 midday and said the BNP did not have permission to hold the rally.
“Leave the place soon. Otherwise we will be compelled to take action,” Noman said.
The police official said they had received a letter regarding the permission from the DMP headquarters on Wednesday.
He said a rally cannot be held on a one-day notice. Police drove away BNP leaders from the auditorium. – bdnews24.com
There is no democracy in Bangladesh and it has been proved, the BNP has said after police stopped a meeting of the party from being held at Dhaka’s Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).
Chairperson Khaleda Zia was supposed to exchange views with dignitaries, journalists and foreign diplomats at the programme on Thursday, acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters.
“But this government has obstructed our meeting in a completely illegal and undemocratic way,” he said.
As the meeting was barred, Khaleda went to her Gulshan office and will give a speech from there in the evening, her Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told reporters.
BNP leaders will also hold a meeting Thursday night to finalise programmes protesting against the police obstruction.
The law enforcers at first blocked organisers from entering the IEB premises in the afternoon, but later they also locked up the auditorium’s gate too saying the BNP did not have the permission to hold the meeting.
Many noted citizens, editors, senior journalists and foreign envoys were invited to the view-exchange meeting called in protest against a recent spate of abductions and murders.
Hearing about the developments, Fakhrul came to IEB at noon and sent three senior leaders including Joint Secretary General Barkat Ullah Bulu to the office of Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner.
After their efforts to secure permission failed, Fakhrul told reporters, “This is the proof how this illegal government is denying basic rights.”
The party had obtained permission from the IEB authorities several days ago for the meeting, he said, adding that they had also written to the DMP.
The BNP leaders including Fakhrul waited at the IEB main gate until 4pm.
They and the party activists left around 4:45pm after speaking with the journalists.
Fakhrul at the time was also accompanied by some of the invited guests. They included Barrister Rafique-Ul Haque, journalist Shafik Rehman, Prof AFM Yusuf Haider, Prof Dilara Chowdhury and Prof Pias Karim.
Earlier, police led by Ramna zone Assistant Commissioner Shibli Noman arrived there a little before midday and stopped the BNP activists from preparing the stage at the auditorium.
Noman told them to leave as the party did not have permission for the meeting. “Otherwise, we will be compelled to take action,” he had threatened.
The police official said a letter was sent to DMP headquarters on Wednesday regarding permission, but such programme cannot be held in a one-day notice.
Police drove BNP leaders and activists away from the IEB auditorium around 12pm and locked the auditorium’s gate, even after BNP leaders present there said they already paid Tk 51,750 to IEB authorities in rent.
Many invitees had returned from the gate facing police obstruction, BNP leaders told reporters later.
An official from the German embassy was also seen arriving at the IEB premises and talking to the BNP chief’s adviser Sabih Uddin Ahmed. – bdnews24.com
