AL holds rallies to show off strength in city

Activists and leaders of the ruling Awami League and its associate bodies yesterday took position in different places of the city "to prevent any untoward incident" centring the BNP's procession.

Since the morning, they were at nine key points, including Mirpur, Uttara, Shyamoli, Jatrabari and in front of AL Bangabandhu Avenue central office in Gulistan. They also held rallies there.

The AL men carried bamboo sticks and cricket stumps and were chanting anti-BNP slogans.

At Matshya Bhaban and the Jatiya Press Club areas, some were also seen checking mobile phones of people and asking queries like where they were going.

Their rallies were held simultaneously after Juma prayers. Thousands of activists joined them.

Speaking at a rally in Shyamoli, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the BNP is now going to foreign diplomats for statements in its favour.

"Those who are issuing statements [in favour of the BNP] are supporting murder, torture, looting, money laundering and corrupt politics of Tarique Rahman. They are lodging complaints with embassies, but no one can help them assume power except the people."

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said, "The BNP destroyed the state, democracy and killed the spirit of the Liberation War."

He termed the BNP's procession a complete failure.

At another rally in front of AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue, AL Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud, also information and broadcasting minister, said, "The way a snake sheds its skin continuously; the alliance of the BNP sheds its skins. Sometimes, there are 20 parties and 12 parties; now they say there are 33 parties [in the combine] ... Except for a few parties, the rest are in name only."

He added that their rallies were not for countering the BNP's programme.

The AL leader said they were watchful so that the BNP could not create any instability, adding that they would remain on the streets until the next election.

Speaking there, AL Presidium Member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya asked the party men to remain on the streets to save the lives and properties of the people from "BNP's anarchy".

The Dhaka city (south) unit AL held a "peace rally" at Jatrabari intersection where several thousand leaders and activists were present.

There AL Presidium Member AHM Khairuzzaman Liton said the BNP and their supporters could not accept the people's enthusiasm over the metro rail. That is why the party is spreading propaganda against the government's development, he said.

"Even after forging a combine with 130 parties, the BNP will not be able to do any harm to the Awami League," he added.

Meanwhile, Chhatra League, pro-AL student organisation, held a brief rally near Shahbagh intersection, protesting the "BNP-Jamaat's violence".