Police ban BNP rally in Dhaka
Staff Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published: 27 Dec 2013 15:12 BdST Updated: 27 Dec 2013 16:12 BdST
BNP will not be allowed to hold a rally in Dhaka city on Sunday, police have said.
"It has been decided not to allow the rally considering risk to the security of the public," Masudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told the bdnews24.com.
The opposition allies led by BNP, who boycotted Jan 5 elections, announced a Dhaka march, to protest the polls, and a rally on Sunday at Nayapaltan where the party is headquartered.
The leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia had announced the ‘March for Democracy’ in a news conference after ending lengthy blockades.
A day later, a three-member delegation headed by her chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque submitted a letter to the DMP Chief Benazir Ahmed’s office on Wednesday seeking permission for the programme.
The police Commissioner did not make any immediate comment then.
BNP had also sought permission to use loudspeakers at the rally and the Chief Whip had said they would give similar letters to the junior minister for home and home secretary seeking 'cooperation'.
The BNP Chief urged people to resist the Jan 5 elections which she boycotted demanding non-party caretaker regime for its oversight.
The elections are going to be held under an “all-party” government in which BNP did not join.
Hours after her press briefing on Tuesday, a policeman was burnt alive in a bomb attack on a bus at Dhaka's Bangla Motor.
Since then additional police had been deployed in front of Khaleda’s residence. Police also picked up several leaders and supporters of her party while they tried to enter her home.