Police on ‘alert’ at Jatiya Party HQ despite withdrawal of rally

No party leader has visited the central office in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar or its surrounding areas on Saturday morning

Police personnel have been deployed around the Jatiya Party central office in Dhaka despite the withdrawal of the party’s rally after a ban on gatherings imposed by security forces.

No party leader visited the central office in the capital’s Bijoynagar and its surrounding areas on Saturday morning.

Jewel Rana, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, or DMP, says there is no risk of an “untoward situation” but police personnel have been deployed in the area as part of the “extra precautions”.

Eyewitnesses said additional police members have been deployed around the Jatiya Party's central office since the morning. Army troops were also patrolling the area.

Police officers guarded every entry point leading to the party's central office. A police team has also been deployed outside the office.

Jewel said: "The DMP commissioner has banned meetings and rallies in the area. Accordingly, the Jatiya Party has also suspended its programme."

The Jatiya Party postponed its planned rally in Dhaka’s Kakrail, due to ongoing tensions and police restrictions over the past two days.

In a statement on Friday night, Khondaker Delwar Jalali, press secretary to the party chairman, announced the suspension of Saturday’s event.

The party had called for a rally and protest march in Dhaka on Saturday to demand the withdrawal of cases against the party leaders, including the Jatiya Party chairman and secretary general, and the reining in of commodity prices.

Shortly after the announcement, a group of miscreants vandalised and set fire to the party's central office around 7:30pm on Thursday.

Following the incident, Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, wrote on his Facebook post:

“These national traitors from the Jatiya Party have assaulted our brothers in Bijoynagar with weapons; they are parading around with arms. This time, the ouster of these national traitors is certain."

In a press conference on Friday, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader said their planned rally would go ahead.

The Bangladesh Students' Rights Council subsequently warned that they would not permit such a rally.

Amid mounting tensions, the DMP declared a restriction imposed under Section 29 of the DMP Ordinance, which prohibits any meeting, rally, procession, or demonstration in the vicinity, including Pioneer Road and building No 66 in Kakrail.