BNP and Awami League’s three associate bodies have been given permission to hold their rallies at Nayapaltan and Baitul Mukarram respectively on 23 conditions on Friday.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruk announced this while briefing journalists about the permission to the parties at DMP Headquarters on Thursday afternoon.
Thanking both political parties, the DMP commissioner said they (AL and BNP) deferred their rallies to Friday from Thursday considering public suffering.
He said BNP was given permission to hold their rally in front of the party office at Nayapaltan while the AL associate bodies at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
BNP was asked to limit their rally from Kakrail’s Nightingale crossing to Rajarbagh Police Hospital and the AL bodies were asked to restrict their rally from Mahanagar Natya Manch to Muktangan, he said.
Urging the supporters of both parties not to carry any sticks, bamboo or bag in the rallies, he said anti-state speech will be restricted.
Earlier on Wednesday night, BNP decided to defer its grand rally, scheduled for Thursday, to Friday. The party said it will hold the grand rally in Dhaka’s Nayapaltan area as it is unwilling to hold the programme at Golapbagh ground as suggested by the police authorities.
After a marathon meeting of the BNP standing committee members, party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with the announcement at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office
Following BNP’s move, Awami League's three associate organisations—Chhatra League, Jubo League and Swechchasebak League—also announced to hold their rally at the old trade fair ground in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Friday, instead of Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruk said police did not allow BNP to hold their rally at Nayapaltan or Suhrawardy Udyan. “We have suggested they go for Golapbagh ground or any other field as Thursday is a workday.”
The DMP also suggested three fronts of the ruling Awami League—Jubo League, Swechchasebak League and Chhatra League—hold their scheduled rally either at Dhaka University or at Mohanagar Natya Mancha instead of the south gate of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
Last Saturday, Fakhrul announced the grand rally on Thursday to press home their one-point demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to “pave the way for holding the next national election under a neutral government.”
