Hifazat permitted to hold 3pm rally

Authorities have permitted Hifazat-e-Islam to go ahead with their 3pm rally at Dhaka’s Shapla Chattar on Sunday.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 4 May 2013, 11:23 PM
Updated : 5 May 2013, 00:52 AM

The clearance came amidst the Hifazat's Dhaka blockade that has effectively cut off the capital from most districts since early on Sunday.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesperson Masudur Rahman confirmed to bdnews24.com that the Hifazat has been formally allowed to hold the rally at Motijheel's Shapla Chattar.
Motijheel, a commercial hub, is usually one of the busiest places of Bangladesh on weekdays. Sunday was the first day of the new week.
Hifazat had sought permission on Saturday to hold their rally in front of Baitul Mukarram mosque in Paltan after Zohr prayers.
However, bdnews24.com Correspondents reported that Hifazat supporters were shouting slogans threatening to hold the rally in the capital at any cost - even if that meant taking on the police.
Meanwhile, Hifazat supporters were seen marching enmasse in some places heading for the heart of the capital even before the permission was granted.
Police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were seen lifting their barricades soon after the permission was granted.
Hifazat had announced their Dhaka blockade plan to push for their ‘controversial’ 13-point demand that includes punishment of who they describe as 'atheists' and an end to the national women policy.
Since Fazr prayers at 4:00am on Sunday, Hifazat supporters started taking position at key entry points to Dhaka – Tongi bridge, Jatrabari’s Kajla, Demra, Babubazar bridge, Postogola bridge, Narayanganj, Savar’s Aminbazar and Gabtoli.
Despite police barricades at several points, Hifazat supporters advanced to Sayedabad from Jatrabari and the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport from Abdullahpur.
After the permissions for the rally came, police and RAB lifted their barricades.