An activist holds BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam to avoid arrest during the sit-in in front of National Press Club in the capital on Thursday. However, policemen detained the activist. — Collected FE Report
BNP announced fresh demonstration to be observed tomorrow (Saturday) protesting attack on its sit-in programme by 'law enforcers' in front of the Jatiya Press Club Thursday.
President of the party's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) of Dhaka Metropolitan (North) unit SM Mizanur Rahman Raj was also picked up by the security force members.
Witnesses said leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) gathered as part of their peaceful and pre-scheduled programme demanding release of Khaleda Zia from jail.
Khaleda is now in prison after being convicted in a corruption case.
They said police suddenly stormed into the gathering in front of the National Press Club at about 11:50am while senior leaders were addressing the demonstration and started chasing the demonstrators, which created scuffling and chaos.
BNP was forced to call off the programme 10 minutes before it was supposed to end. The JCD leader SM Mizanur Rahman Raj, among few others was taken away by the police in front of the BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the infuriated party activists said.
Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the fresh programme at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office.
In the fresh spell of programme, the BNP secretary general announced that demonstration would be observed in all the thanas (police station areas) in Dhaka metropolitan area tomorrow (March 10).
At the press conference BNP secretary general strongly condemned the police action with stating that the government foiled their peaceful programme without instigation.
He said members of the security agencies were selectively arresting people who lead various units of the party. "Despite observing peaceful programmes since imprisonment of the party chief, police undemocratically are foiling their demonstrations. This is illegal," he said with a note of frustration.
Another report by UNB adds: the High Court on Thursday fixed next Sunday for order on a petition seeking bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim fixed the date for taking decision upon a bail petition in the case.
Khaleda's counsel, Advocate Zainul Abedin, said: "We have mentioned the matter relating to Khaleda's bail before the court in the morning. The court said that it will pass an order on the bail petition after getting documents."
On February 22, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia filed petition with the High Court seeking bail in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
Barrister Nowshad Jamir and Barrister Kaiser Kamal, on behalf of the BNP chief, submitted the 880-page bail petition showing 31 grounds for granting her bail.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
