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No rally will be allowed on streets: Asaduzzman

2,718 sued, 470 held over Naya Paltan violence
Staff Correspondent 
09 Dec 2022 00:00:00 | Update: 09 Dec 2022 00:01:47
No rally will be allowed on streets: Asaduzzman
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan talks to reporters after visiting injured police personnel at Central Police Hospital in Dhaka on Thursday – UNB Photo

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday said the BNP will not be allowed to hold their rally at Naya Paltan on December 10 and the government is thinking about Kalshi field as an alternative venue.

“No anarchy will be allowed in the name of a rally and no rally will be allowed on streets,” the minister told reporters after visiting 49 police members who sustained injuries during Wednesday’s clash at the city’s Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital.

Replying to a question he said Kalshi field is being considered as an alternative venue and BNP will receive full assistance from police in this regard.

“There is no objection if you (BNP) hold peaceful meetings, rallies but if you vandalise, harm life and assets the law enforcers will not sit idle. It is their job to give people protection,” he added.

Regarding the police drive at Naya Paltan on Wednesday, the home minister said that the operation was conducted considering the situation.

“Police recovered 15 unexploded hand grenades, rice, pulse and firewood from the BNP office. We don’t understand why should rice, pulse, firewood should be brought for a political rally,” he said.

“I’ve heard BNP had prepared to take the position for an indefinite period in Naya Paltan area. They have no more plan to hold a rally,” he added.

The police have filed four separate cases against 718 named and more than 2,000 unnamed BNP activists including senior leaders with Paltnan, Motijheel, Shajahanpur and Ramna police stations over Wednesday’s violence between police at BNP at Naya Paltan.

Charges of assaulting police, unlawful assembly and blasting crude bombs have been brought against the accused, said Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner for media and public relations of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. 

The party’s senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, central leader Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Dhaka south city unit convener Abdus Salam and north city unit convener Amanullah Aman along with 470 others are shown arrested in the case filed with Paltan police station.

CCTVs installed all over Naya Paltan 

The DMP has installed dozens of CCTV cameras all over Naya Paltan area to ensure the security of business installations, houses and residents of the locality, said DMP Joint Commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarkar.

“It is the responsibility of the police to provide security for the people of the area. We will act whatever is necessary for the safety of the common people,” he added.

Naya Paltan road opened after 24hrs 

Police removed the barricade on the road stretching between Nightingale and Fakirapool intersections after 24 hours at 4:00pm on Thursday. Police made the road off-limit after Wednesday’s violence to carry out an operation at the BNP’s central office.

Huge contingents of riot-geared police remained deployed on the road and they allowed none to pass through it including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Fakhrul came to Nightingale intersection around 11:00am.

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