AL, BNP take programmes for today

The ruling Awami League and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party are set to observe ‘democracy killing day’ and ‘victory day for democracy’ respectively today to mark the third anniversary of January 5, 2014 general elections boycotted by all opposition parties.
In 2015, people saw a politically volatile and tensed situation centring the observing of the day and many people were killed, injured and numerous vehicles including trains were set on fire.
BNP would observe the day bringing out black flag processions across the country except in Dhaka city while the Awami League would hold victory rallies and processions across the country.
BNP is also scheduled for January 7 to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a briefing at the party’s central office on Wednesday said that the black flag processions would be brought out by the party’s leaders and activists wearing black badges in district headquarters and metropolitan cities across the country ‘defying all threats from the ruling AL.’
BNP avoided organising any programme marking the day in Dhaka city today as BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia would appear before a court and party leaders and activists would remain busy in offering greetings to her on her way to and from the court, party leaders said.
Awami League joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said that the party would hold victory rallies and processions in districts and upazilas acroos the country and in front of the party’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue and at Rasel Square at Dhanmondi in Dhaka.
He hoped that people would not allow BNP to take to the street today to observe the day as in the name of resisting the election, BNP had committed violent activities of setting polling stations on fire, killing presiding officers and voters, injuring voters and setting fire to vehicles in 2014.
He said that if people any political party tried to observe any programme justifying killing and terror activities, people could never support it.
At the briefing BNP leader Rizvi said people’s freedom was snatched by taking away their voting rights through ‘voterless’ election on January 5, 2014.
He said that BNP’s Dhaka city unit and the party’s front and associate organisations were taking preparation for January 7 rally in Dhaka. 
He said that BNP would hold a preparatory meeting with the party’s leaders of greater Dhaka district and the front and associate organisations today over the rally.
He said public works department informed them that it had no objection to give permission subject to police clearance.
Rizvi hoped that the government would ask give permission to pave smooth way for democracy.

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