Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Thursday evening allowed both Awami League and BNP to hold rallies in the port city Friday. Awami League has been given permission to hold its rally in Shaheed Minar area and BNP at Kazir Dewri. BNP was scheduled to hold its rally at Laldighi Maidan and its leaders declared that they would hold the rally at any cost. Sources said if the police tried to stop the Opposition from holding the rally, it would launch an indefinite agitation in the port city from Friday.
On the other hand, AL leaders, instead of organising a rally as declared earlier, will hold meetings at all 16 thanas in the metropolitan area on the same day. On Tuesday night, the Chittagong City AL, at a meeting at its president Alhaj ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury’s residence at Chashma Hill, decided to follow the directives of the CMP and cancelled the rally scheduled to be held at the Laldighi Maidan on Friday. Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul, acting general secretary of the city AL, and others were present at the meeting. Alhaj ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury said: “We will not hold any rally at the Laldighi Maidan on October 25. We want peace. However, every AL activist in the port city will take to the road on that day to resist the Opposition’s evil attempts to spread anarchy.”
On Tuesday night, the BNP city unit and the North and South BNP district committees held a meeting at the residence of Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, president of the BNP Chittagong city. The meeting was presided over by Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury. Adviser to Khaleda Zia, Mir Mohammed Nasir Udddin, central organising secretary Golam Akbar Khondakar, former chief whip Sayed Wahidul Alam, Chittagong North District BNP president Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury, general secretary Aslam Khan, BNP city unit general secretary Dr Shahadat Hossain, Chittagong South District BNP general secretary Gaji Shahajan Jewel, former MP Begum Rosy Kabir, BNP leader Shamsul Alam, Abu Sufian, Mahabubur Rahman Shamim, Enamul Haque and others attended the meeting.
The BNP leaders said they would hold the rally at the Laldighi Maidan on the scheduled date and urged law enforcement agencies not to take a stand against the people of Chittagong. Abdullah Al Noman, central vice-president of the BNP, condemned the ban on rallies and said the CMP should withdraw it.
“On Oct 10, the BNP asked for permission to organise the rally at the Laldighi Maidan. We obtained permission from the police. But the ruling party conspired with the police and the district administration, and imposed a ban on rallies and processions in the Chittagong city area. But we will hold the rally at the Laldighi Maidan at any cost. The government will be responsible for any untoward situation,” he added. Amir Khasru echoed Abdullah Al Noman’s words and said his party would hold the rally, come what may. Urging the police to be neutral, he said: “You should allow us to hold the rally. Do not try to implement the agenda of another party.”
-With The Independent input
