The newly formed Jatiya Oikyafront is going to hold a rally in the port city today, amid widespread fear of arrest among its activists.

Over a hundred leaders and activists have been arrested in the last seven days ahead of the programme, leaders of the alliance alleged.

City BNP President Shahadat Hossain told The Daily Star that Chittagong Metropolitan Police granted them permission to hold the rally at Kazir Dewri, in front of the BNP office, five days after they had applied to hold the event at Laldighi Maidan.

He regretted that the law enforcers didn't let the alliance organise the event on the spacious field of Laldighi Maidan.

“All large political parties hold rallies at Laldighi Maidan, but the BNP has not been allowed to do that in the last 10 years,” he said.

Asked, CMP Commissioner Mahbubur Rahman said the permission was denied for security reasons.

The Oikyafront was asked to organise the rally on one side of the road in front of the BNP office, leaving the other side open to traffic, he said, adding that they were asked to wrap up by 5:00pm.

The event is scheduled to start at 2:00pm with Dr Kamal Hossain as the chief guest. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other alliance leaders will also be present.

The Jatiya Oikyafront -- an alliance of BNP, Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab), and Nagorik Oikya -- held its first rally in Sylhet on October 24.

ARRESTS CONTINUE

Chattogram city BNP Vice-president Abu Sufian said “false cases” had been filed against BNP leaders and activists. “A case was even filed against a dead person.”

BNP leaders alleged that police were conducting raids in the city to arrest activists of the BNP and other parties of the Oikyafront ahead of the rally.

About 10 BNP activists were arrested on Wednesday night in different areas, said City BNP President Shahadat.

“The government is trying to create panic although it said a level playing field would be created for all parties during the polls.”

Over a hundred leaders and activists were arrested in the last seven days in different areas of the city, he said.

He, however, hoped that the rally would be a success as “people are united to press home their right to vote and to revive democracy”.

Asked, the CMP commissioner said police only arrested the people accused in different cases.