BNP stages demo amid obstructions [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

BNP stages demo amid obstructions

Local January 09, 2017

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The programme, however, got lukewarm response in Dhaka city.
BNP alleged that police and the ruling party’s student and youth wing activists launched attacks on their processions at Kamrangirchar and Shah Ali thanas in Dhaka city and Gazipur district, respectively.
At least seven BNP leaders and activists were arrested and more than seven were injured during the demonstration, the party said.
Dhaka city unit failed to organise any demo at most of the thanas in fear of ‘political persecution’ and ‘orgnisational apathy’, the party leaders admitted.
On Saturday, BNP announced the demonstration at district headquarters and metropolitan cities across the country and at thanas in the capital protesting against denial of police to let the party hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka city on Saturday to mark January 5 as ‘democracy killing day’.
The demo was also aimed at protesting agasinst attack on BNP’s black flag processions in some districts and cities by police and Awami League ‘armed men’ on Thursday. The event was marking the democracy killing day on the third anniversary of January 5, 2014, general elections, boycotted by all opposition parties.
New Age Sylhet correspondent reported that police did not allow BNP to hold a rally as contingents of police took position in the city’s Registrar Math, where the protest rally was supposed take place at 3:00pm. Police arrived there at 2:00am and barred the local leaders and activists from entering in the venue, foiling the programme.
District BNP general secretary Ali Ahmed said they sought for permission from Sylhet Metropolitan Police. Since police did not deny their application, leaders said, they thought they got the permission.
However, he said police did not also let them enter into the venue.
Kotwali police officer-in-charge Sohel Ahmad told New Age that BNP had committed destructive activities in the past and they could have repeated those if given permission.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a news briefing at the party’s central office on Sunday alleged that law enforcing agencies launched their offences and obstructed demonstrations at different places in the country.
He claimed that police raided houses of BNP leaders and activists since Saturday in various areas, including Dhaka, and arrested many of their leaders and activists.
Police misbehaved with female family members and children when they did not find leaders in their residences, Rizvi alleged.
He claimed that until 3:00pm, more than five BNP activists were arrested from BCIC School and College during the programme. They belonged to the party’s Shah Ali thana unit.
Police, Chhatra League and Juba League activists unleashed attacks on a procession at Kamrangirchar thana in Dhaka city leaving over seven leaders and activists injured.
Rizvi said police arrested Patuakhali district BNP vice-president, Baezid Panna and joint general secretary Wahid Alam Sarwar, on Saturday night, centering the demonstration.
Asked whether the party’s Dhaka city unit had failed to organise the programme in proper manner, Rizvi said police swooped on their processions and arrested leaders and activists.
He said this is an ‘iron chain of rule of dangerous autocracy and fascism’ as police opened fire and kept arresting BNP men as soon as they heard any sounds of a procession.
He said BNP was holding peaceful and democratic programmes.
After embacing extreme situations, such as taking to street, getting bullets and then arrested, he said, ‘After all of these obstacles, BNP still remains strong.’
BNP leaders including Habibur Rahman Habib, Ataur Rahman Dhali, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Habibul Islam Habib, Abdus Salma Azad and Munir Hossain, among others, were present.