The row between the administration (police) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) over the venue for holding the party's December 10 rally still persists.
But BNP is firm to hold its rally in front of the party's Nayapaltan office in the city or any alternative suitable place proposed by police.
On the other hand, police are adamant not to allow BNP to hold their rally in front of the Nayapaltan party office.
BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said on Monday that his party will hold the planned mass rally in front of the party's central office at Nayapaltan.
"Police have put barricades in front of Khaleda Zia's residence at Gulshan. Arrests of party leaders and activists are going on. Our rally on December 10 will not be stopped by arrests and harassment by the government. The government is doing it to postpone our rally," he said at a press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan central office in the capital.
He said that BNP will consider alternative venue other than Suhrawardy Udyan and Turag.
He, however, could not tell the media about his party's alternative venue for holding rally.
He said that party leader Ishraque Hossain along with party workers came under attacks by Chhatra League followers of Jagannath University unit on Sunday while distributing leaflets to make success December 10 rally. He said that Ishraque car was also ransacked.
Police have arrested around 500 BNP leaders and supporters so far, he said.
Arrest warrants have been issued on Monday against BNP leaders Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Ishraque Hossain.
Law enforcement agencies like Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police turned down BNP's plea for holding their rally in front of the party's central office at Nayapaltan in the capital.
An official of RAB said that the elite force is prepared to face any untoward incidents centring BNP's rally on December 10 in the capital.
"RAB is prepared to face any untoward situation centring BNP's rally on December 10," RAB Commander Khandaker Al Moin said at a press briefing at the elite force media centre in the capital's Karwanbazar on Monday.
He said that Bomb Disposal Unit, Special Force, Special Dog Squad, Helicopter Unit and plain clothes detective force of RAB will also be with the RAB to help tackle any destructive acts on the rally day.
He said that RAB will continue its routine patrol duty ahead of the rally.
BNP will be allowed to hold rally on December 10 only on open play ground, but not on roads, said Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Khandaker Golam Faruk on Monday.
"We (police) will not allow BNP to hold their rally on December 10 on roads of the capital. They (BNP) will be allowed to hold rally on December 10 only on open play ground, but not on roads," he told the media.
He said that BNP is yet to propose other alternative venue than Suhrawardy Udyan.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
