Action if anyone tries to destabilise the country: home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan today said the government will take legal action if anyone tries to destabilise the country in the name of holding political programmes.

"The government will do whatever necessary to maintain law and order," he said hinting at the BNP's resolve to hold the December-10 rally at Nayapaltan.

"We have to maintain law and order and protect lives and properties," Asaduzzaman said after inaugurating a branch of a private bank in the city.

Asked whether the government has decided not to allow the BNP to hold the rally at Nayapaltan, the home boss said, "I didn't say that."

"They [the BNP] usually hold programmes in front of the party office. But now they are saying 25-30 lakh people will join the rally [on December 10]… For that, we gave them permission to hold the rally at a suitable place [Suhrawardy Udyan]."

Meanwhile, the BNP today said that if the party is denied permission to hold its December-10 rally at Nayapaltan in the capital, the government must offer an alternative venue acceptable to the party.