Police yesterday allegedly prevented a protest rally of a BNP city unit at capital's Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).

"Gandaria BNP organised a rally in the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, protesting the government's initiative to take control of  the land of Sadeque Hossain Khoka [former DCC mayor]. It had taken a verbal permission from the police," said BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu.      

"But yesterday, when the party men went there to hang banners, police told them that they had revoked the permission," he said.      

Shamsuzzaman made the comments while addressing a briefing at the BNP Nayapaltan headquarters and protested the incident.

Maruf Hossain Sorder, deputy commissioner (DC) of Ramna Division, however, rejected the allegation of the BNP and told The Daily Star that they had not foiled any programme of the party at the IEB.

He said the BNP was regularly organising programmes at the IEB and they were to hold another programme there today.  

The government took control of former Dhaka mayor and BNP senior leader Khoka's properties in Gazipur, Gulshan and Narayanganj following court directives in connection with corruption cases.

The BNP leader said the incident of foiling the programme proved that there was no freedom of expression in the country. He said the government's behaviour could not be tolerated in a democratic country.

He also claimed that police yesterday arrested a number of party men at different places in the capital when they held demonstrations, protesting the recent arrest warrant issued for BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman.

BNP ON EC  

Shamsuzzaman said the BNP was hopeful that the government would sit with them and discuss the holding of the next general elections under a neutral Election Commission.

"The prime minister rejected our demand preliminarily, but I hope she will respond to our call [to hold talks with everyone before forming the EC] … ," said Shamsuzzaman.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday aired doubt whether a credible EC could be formed including suggestions from the BNP, reported the UNB news agency.

"If their [BNP's] suggestions are taken, we'll have to form an Election Commission which will again make the voter list with fake voters," she said.

Hasina came up with the remarks at a press conference responding to a question from a journalist whether the government will take BNP's suggestions in forming the next EC.

Shamsuzzaman said the discussion table is the best place for resolving any crisis. "National leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman" had continued talks with Pakistan in 1971, even after he became the supreme leader of the largest party, said Shamsuzzaman, adding that he wanted to remind the prime minister of the qualities of her father.