BNP on Tuesday sought permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to hold their much-talked-about rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the capital on December 10.
A delegation of BNP met Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq and discussed the issues of permission and security for holding the Dhaka divisional rally.
They also called upon the DMP boss to take steps to ensure that Awami League cannot create any chaos and anarchy centering the BNP rally, said BNP Dhaka South City unit Convener Abdus Salam.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Salam also said, “We have sought permission to hold the rally in front of our party office. He (the DMP chief) asked whether we’ve any choice of an alternative venue. “We said we would inform him about it after discussions with the senior leaders.”
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He said they think the ruling party will not be able to create chaos if the rally is held at Nayapaltan.
BNP Dhaka North City Unit Convenor Amanullah Aman said the DMP Commissioner said they will inform BNP about the permission for the rally through discussions.
He said a letter was sent to the DMP from the BNP’s central office seeking permission for the rally. “We’ve sought permission to hold the rally in front of our central office as we arranged many other rallies there earlier in a peaceful manner.”
Aman said they requested the DMP authorities to ensure that BNP leaders and activists can join the rally smoothly without facing any obstacles.
He said they also talked about the ongoing arrests of BNP leaders and activists centering the rally.
As part of the move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
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The party has already arranged rallies in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal, and Faridpur braving various obstacles and transport strikes.
BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10, coinciding with International Human Rights day.
The BNP has long been demanding that the next general election be held under a caretaker government, not under any political government--a demand sharply rejected by the ruling Awami League as the constitution does not contain any such provision.