Withdraw ban: BNP

 

Dhaka: Terming the ban on rallies and processions in the capital a government plot to annihilate democracy, opposition BNP Saturday night demanded immediate withdrawal of the decision paving the path for it to hold its scheduled rally in the city on October 25, reports UNB.

 

The party also announced to stage demonstrations at district level across the country tomorrow (Sunday) protesting the ban.

 

“The government ban on holding rallies and processions is unconstitutional, we strongly protest it. The government has indulged in a conspiracy to suppress the opposition movement with such a move,’’ said BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

 

The BNP spokesman came up with his party’s reaction to the government ban at a press briefing at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office after a meeting of the party standing committee members.

 

Fakhrul alleged that the government action has proved that it will not allow the opposition to exercise its democratic rights and carry out its regular activities.

 

“’The ban on rallies imposed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is illegal unconstitutional. We think it’s a government conspiracy to annihilate democracy. It’s also part of government design to reestablish one-party Bbaksal rule under a different cover,’’ Fakhrul said.

 

He said the party policymakers decided to stage demonstrations at district level across the country on Sunday protesting the government decision.

 

Fakhrul, however, said they will announce the next course of action later.

 

“They want to hold a one–sided election keeping the opposition out of the race and we think the imposition of the ban is part of the government’s plot to hold a lopsided election,’’ the BNP leader said.

 

Earlier, BNP chairperson khaleda Zia set in a meeting of the party’s policymakers around 8pm. The meeting continued until 09:30pm.

 

The meeting sources said the main opposition party will give its reaction to the prime minister’s proposal to form an all-party polls-time government after the BNP chief’s meeting with 18-party alliance leaders scheduled to be held on Sunday night.

 

BNP Standing Committee member RA Gani, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, MK Anwar, Jamiruddin Sircar, Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah, Sarwari Rahman, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia, Mirza Abbas, Gayshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were present at the meeting.

 

Earlier in the day, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed a ban on holding any kind of rally and bringing out procession in the capital from 6 am Sunday.

The restriction will remain in force until further order, said a notification signed by DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed.