Tension mounts over fateful Friday

Tension has gripped Bangladesh with fears of a showdown between arch rivals Awami League and the BNP as they set the ground for parallel programmes on Friday.

Rallies have been banned in many places and security beefed up in anticipation of violence.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troopers have been deployed to prevent any possible disorder with police detaining many opposition activists ahead of the programmes.

BNP, the main opposition party, has declared that they will hold their pre-announced rally on Friday at any cost, prompting the ruling Awami League to announce resistance.

As the parties adopt a confrontationist stance, the situation has raised concern and worries among the people. Many are worried, and seeking an answer to a common question - What will happen on Oct 25?

According to the 15th constitutional amendment, the 10th parliamentary election will be held between Oct 25 and Jan 24 next year, or 90 days after the term of the incumbent Parliament ends.

The 90-day countdown begins on Friday.

BNP, which has been on the streets for long demanding the restoration of the election-time caretaker government, has announced it would hold a rally in capital Dhaka that day.

Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia will possibly declare fresh programmes for the party's final blow to oust the government.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police has given conditional permission to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan. The BNP has also agreed to abide by the conditions.

Amid mounting tension, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Oct 18 proposed an all-party polls-time interim government to conduct the elections and urged the BNP to join that Cabinet.

But rejecting her proposal, two days later the Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia proposed another form of the government to oversee the polls comprising 10 advisors from the past two caretaker governments and be headed by an 'honourable citizen'.

However, Awami League President Hasina called her proposal 'impractical' and said the Opposition was ‘not serious’ over holding dialogue although they had urged the ruling party for talks.

Meanwhile, security has been heightened in different districts including Dhaka from Thursday ahead of the rallies on Friday. Police have taken position at several important points in the capital.

Traffic was less than normal on Thursday due to safety reasons, while shops and businesses in many areas were found to be shut.

The scene was similar at Asad Gate, New Market, Chankharpool, Press Club, Bangabazar, Roy Saheb Bazar Road, North South Road, Paltan, Shantinagar, Malibagh, Motijheel, Mohakhali and many other areas.

Police were seen quizzing and searching people and mostly motorcyclists at different intersections in the city.

Paltan Police Station Sub-Inspector Bazlur Rahman told bdnews24.com that they stepped up increased search operations in the capital ahead of Oct 25. There were also seven temporary security outposts in force in that area, he said.

Hardware merchant Shafiqul Islam at Nawabganj has kept his shop shut. He told bdnews24.com: "...only because of the fear of violence. I will open the shop after seeing what happens on Oct 25. I don't want to take any risk by opening before that."

A staff at a steel shop at North South Road, Md Selim said the owner had opened the shop in the morning, but closed before 2pm.

However, police were being extra vigilant after several handmade bombs exploded near Dakkhinkhan and Tongi stations on Wednesday, said DMP Ramna zone Additional Commissioner Anwar Hossain.

DMP Deputy Commissioner Md Masudur Rahman said police would remain on high alert on Oct 25 to ensure security and maintain law and order. They were prepared to tackle any kind of untoward situation, he said.

Ban ignored, rallies held

Meanwhile, ignoring the police ban, BNP-backed Peshajibi Samannay Parishad held a rally in front of the main opposition party’s office in Chittagong City on Thursday.

The rally was held around 4pm at the ground in front of the Nasiman Bhaban.

Earlier in the day, Opposition chief Khaleda Zia also attended and addressed a rally of the pro-BNP teachers at the National Press Club in Dhaka amid a police ban on rallies.

Declaring the ruling Grand Alliance government would become ‘illegal’ from the moment the 90-day countdown to the election begins, she vowed to wage an anti-government movement from Oct 25.

BGB deployed, BNP firm

Following back-to-back programmes announced by the BNP and Awami League, police slapped a ban on rallies in Dhaka, Chittagong, Barisal, Sylhet, Narayanganj, Comilla, Khulna, Natore, Feni, Rajshahi and Khagrhachharhi.

But BNP, the main opposition party, appears determined to hold their scheduled rallies in those areas on Friday, ignoring the ban order.

BGB troopers have been already deployed in those places since Thursday noon with police and other law enforcement agencies standing by.

The BNP, however, after a meeting at the party Chairperson's Gulshan office on Thursday night, announced that the 18-Party alliance rally would be held at Suhrawardy Udyan on Friday afternoon in keeping with the conditional permission from police.

Chittagong BNP unit has also declared to stage their rally at Laldighi Maidan in the port city same day.

Key opposition coalition member, Jamaat-e-Islami in a press release has urged everyone to make the announced peaceful rallies across the country a success.

It also alleged that a large number of leaders and activists of Jamaat, its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, BNP and the opposition alliance were being detained.

Awami League will resist

Meanwhile, the Awami League will also be out on the streets to resist what they described as any ‘disorder’ by Opposition activists during their rallies.

The affiliated organisations - Swechhasebak League and Juba League - and ruling party MPs in Dhaka have been directed to resist any act of chaos.

Activists of AL's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League has also been advised to attend the Juma prayer at mosques in their own areas on Friday. They will also be available at educational institutions even on the weekly public holiday.

The advice has been given in view of previous incidents of Islamist parties, including Jamaat, taking out processions from mosques after the Juma prayer. Most Islamist parties are members in the 18-Party alliance.

Arrests

On the other hand, police on Thursday arrested 12 leaders and activists of BNP, Jamaat and Shibir from Bogra, Gopalganj, Barisal, Bagerhat and Narsinghdi on suspicion of sabotage.

Three, including the President of Bogra Azizul Haque University College Shibir unit, were arrested earlier in the day.

The arrestee also include Jamaat unit chief at Kotaliparha in Gopalganj, three leaders of the BNP Gouranadi Upazila unit in Barisal, two Shibir leaders of Bagerhat district unit and four activists of BNP and Jamaat in Narsinghdi.

Reports of many arrests were also coming in from different districts.

(Additional reporting by Staff Correspondents Kamal Talukder, Golam Mujtoba Dhrubo and District Correspondents; writing by Tanjir Rahman)