Rally at Naya Paltan: BNP

Minutes after police allowed the opposition BNP to hold its Oct 25 rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, the party has asked for clearance to hold it in front of its Naya Paltan headquarters.

A BNP delegation led by Chief Whip Zainal Abdin Farroque visited the office of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters on Thursday, seeking permission to hold it in front of its Naya Paltan venue on Friday afternoon.

But DMP commissioner Benzir Ahmed told journalists after meeting Farroque that he had told the BNP delegation to organise the party rally at Suhrawardy Udyan.

“I have explained to them in detail why police wants the rally to be held in Suhrawardy Udyan,” Benzir Ahmed said.

নয়া পল্টনে বিএনপি কার্যালয়, ফাইল ছবি

But when asked if the BNP insists on going ahead with the rally at Naya Paltan, the DMP commissioner said he was optimistic about avoiding any confrontation.

“I have great faith in the wisdom of politicians. I am sure a confrontation will be avoided.

The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance had announced its intention to hold the Friday rally two weeks ago to press for a caretaker dispensation to hold the parliament polls.

It had sought police permission to hold rallies at Naya Paltan, Suhrawardi Udyan and the Paltan ground.

After the Dhaka police banned all rallies, meetings, processions and human chains, uncertainity loomed over the proposed rally.

But police finally permitted the rally to be held at Suhrawardi Udyan on Thursday.

“It is not possible for us to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan though police have allowed us to hold the rally there conditionally,” said BNP’s Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

“We will hold the rally at Naya Paltan. It will begin at 2pm. The Opposition leader Khaleda Zia will join at the rally too.”