Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Tuesday permitted BNP to hold its rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on December 10 on 26 conditions.
A notification was issued in this regard from the DMP headquarters, signed by Deputy Police Commissioner (Headquarters and Admin) Abdul Momen, on behalf of the DMP commissioner.
Following BNP’s application, DMP permitted the party to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Shahbagh instead of Nayapaltan, as it may cause traffic jam and public suffering.
BNP can hold the rally at the venue from 12pm to 4:30pm on December 10, according to the notification.
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BNP has to seek permission from the authorities concerned for using the venue, mentioning the 26 conditions, as only DMP permission is not enough for this purpose, it said.
Anti-state activities and statements at the rally venue are prohibited, read the conditions.
Besides, no propaganda or leaflet distribution will be allowed, and no procession can be brought out from the venue.
All security measures, including installing CCTV cameras, vehicle scanners and metal detectors at the venue should be taken by the party.
An adequate number of volunteers (with visible ID cards) should be deployed at the venue under the party’s own management.
The party will be responsible if the law and order situation deteriorates at the rally, said the DMP notification.
All activities of the rally should be kept inside the venue and completed by the timeframe.
If BNP fails to comply with any of the conditions, the permission will be cancelled immediately, DMP said in the notification.
Contacted, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said they received the DMP's letter regarding the permission. “But we’ll arrange the rally in front of our party office at Nayapaltan.”
BNP publicity affairs secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anne told UNB that their party did not seek permission to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan.
“We sought permission to hold the rally at Nayapaltan, not at Suhrawardy Udyan. Our party is determined to hold the rally at Nayapaltan as per our previous decision,” he said.
Anne, however, said BNP standing committee will take final decision in this regard after considering the overall situation.
Earlier on November 15, a BNP delegation met DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq and sought permission to hold their much-talked-about Dhaka rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office on December 10.
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The DMP Commissioner, however, asked BNP to give names of other venue options.
As part of their ongoing movement, 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.
BNP has already arranged rallies in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal, Faridpur, Sylhet and Cumilla braving various obstacles and transport strikes.
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 allow it to happen.
BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10, coinciding with International Human Rights Day.