Rally at Suhrawardy Udyan: BNP gets nod on 23 conditions

The BNP yesterday said it received a conditional permission from the authorities concerned to hold a public rally in the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan today.

Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they were allowed to hold the rally on 23 conditions.

“We've taken all out preparations to make our rally a success,” Fakhrul said.

He was speaking at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office.

Mentioning that they were granted permission just 12 hours before such a programme in the past, he thanked the DMP for sending the letter a bit earlier this time.

The BNP leader sought cooperation from the government in holding the peaceful rally. “I would like to urge the ruling party and the DMP to cooperate with us … We hope you'll help us. Please don't spoil the democratic environment by putting any obstacle to our rally.”

He also called upon the ruling party to refrain from making any provocation. “Some incidents that have taken place over a few days indicate different meanings. Police have become frantic to arrest the leaders and activists of our Dhaka city units and implicate them in false cases.”

The BNP leader alleged that police arrested 20 party men on Friday night when they were retuning home after joining a preparatory meeting at the Sahjahanpur house of BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas.

Fakhrul asked BNP leaders and activists not to respond to any provocation of the Awami League. “To make the rally a success, exercise restraint and have patience in the case of any provocation.”

As per the conditions set by the DMP, the rally will have to be concluded by 5:00pm and the BNP leaders and activist will be allowed to enter the meeting venue two hours before the beginning of the rally.

The other conditions are refraining from showing any cartoon or making any statement hurting religious sentiments, making any provocative statement, carrying out any anti-state, anti-peace activities, creating any obstacle to traffic, using loudspeakers at unapproved places, using rods and sticks with banners and festoons, entering the venue with processions and gathering on footpaths.

Fakhrul said their rally will reflect people's hopes and aspirations.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is expected to address the rally as the chief guest. She last addressed a rally at the same venue on January 20, 2014, 15 days after the 10th parliamentary polls.

On November 3, the BNP announced to hold the rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan on November 8, marking what it said “the civil-military uprising on November 7, 1975”.

Later, the party deferred it to Sunday.