Hifazat upset with police

A leader of Hifazat-e Islam has alleged that police were ‘obstructing’ their supporters outside Dhaka, though in the capital, that was not the case.

“Our supporters are trying to reach Motijheel to attend our rally in peaceful processions. In Dhaka, police has not obstructed them and instead has extended all cooperation to them,” said Mizanur Rahman Sayid, a coordinator for Hifazat’s Motijheel rally due on Saturday.

But Sayid said the long march undertaken by their supporters have been blocked at Ashulia and Gazipur.

When asked who was responsible for the obstruction, Sayid said: “Those who have called for strike and blockade to stop our long march are responsible. But we feel police is also backing them.”

Sayid appealed to the police to allow Hifazat organise a peaceful rally.

Hifazat-e Islam, a Chittagong-based radical group believed to be close to Jamaat-e-Islami, organised a long march from the port city to the capital demanding punishment for the Shahbagh protestors who they dub as ‘atheist bloggers’. They are organising a rally at Shapla Chattar on Saturday. The rally begins at 10am and is slated to last until 5pm.

The BNP-led 18-Party opposition alliance has supported the Hifazat’s long march and the rally on Saturday. The Hifazat has been allowed to hold the rally by police on 12 conditions – one of it being that their leaders will not ‘politicise’ the rally.

On the other hand, 25 secular pro-liberation organisations like the Sectors Commanders Forum, Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee and Sammilita Sangskritik Jote have called for a 24-hour strike beginning 6pm on Friday to foil the long march and the rally.

Shahbagh’s Ganajagaran Mancha has called for a 22-hour blockade at the same time to foil the long march and the rally.

Though long distance buses were grounded, Hifazat supporters gathered at the Gabtoli terminal early on Saturday.

Around 7:30am, local MP Aslamul Hoque Aslam reached the terminal with his supporters and told the Hifazat supporters over a hand-mike to maintain order during the rally.

“Police will help you out if you maintain order and escort you upto Adabor,” Aslam said over the mike. Later a Hifazat leader also told the supporters to desist from any untoward incident.

The Hifazat supporters later started their march towards Motijheel with police in front of the procession and at the end of it. Many of their supporters gathered at Mirpur, Mohakhali crossing and other parts of Dhaka to march towards Motijheel.

Awami League supporters and those from their fraternal groups were also out in the streets in good numbers.