Police deny BNP allegations of AL blockades
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Police refuted the opposition BNP's allegations that ruling Awami League (AL) activists had placed obstacles on roads to prevent its party activists from arriving at its rally in Dhaka Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.
Khalilur Rahman, president of Kapasia chapter of the BNP, told the news agency that buses were being obstructed on Fakir Majnu Shah Bridge in Kapasia and in Maouna crossing in Sripur.
"Awami League activists stopped our vehicles by putting up a barrier on Fakir Majnu Shah Bridge," Rahman said and cited this as the reason why many Paltan ground-bound vehicles had failed to arrive.
However, Jamaluddin Mir, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kapasia Police Station, said there were no barricades on the bridge; rather "a vehicle broke down on the bridge causing disruption in movement".
Rahman also alleged that at about 11:30am leaders of Sramik League attacked their motorcade at Maouna crossing and beat BNP activists up.
Nazmul Hasan Bhuiyan, OC of Sripur Police Station, confirmed that activists of both the BNP and Sramik League, a pro-government labour organisation, were involved in chasing each other but said that the incident was short-lived.
BNP leaders also alleged that hundreds of buses were stuck in Rupganj, Tarabo Bishwa Road, Gauchhia and Araihajar areas due to the barricades put up by government supporters.
BNP leaders in Gazipur, Narayanganj and Narsingdhi also claimed that the administration had set up mobile courts on the road to check paperwork simply as a way of stopping vehicles bound for the rally.
Local residents said that there was a 5-km-long traffic jam on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway from Kanchpur to Narsingdi in Sonargaon Upazila.
Khalilur Rahman, president of Kapasia chapter of the BNP, told the news agency that buses were being obstructed on Fakir Majnu Shah Bridge in Kapasia and in Maouna crossing in Sripur.
"Awami League activists stopped our vehicles by putting up a barrier on Fakir Majnu Shah Bridge," Rahman said and cited this as the reason why many Paltan ground-bound vehicles had failed to arrive.
However, Jamaluddin Mir, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kapasia Police Station, said there were no barricades on the bridge; rather "a vehicle broke down on the bridge causing disruption in movement".
Rahman also alleged that at about 11:30am leaders of Sramik League attacked their motorcade at Maouna crossing and beat BNP activists up.
Nazmul Hasan Bhuiyan, OC of Sripur Police Station, confirmed that activists of both the BNP and Sramik League, a pro-government labour organisation, were involved in chasing each other but said that the incident was short-lived.
BNP leaders also alleged that hundreds of buses were stuck in Rupganj, Tarabo Bishwa Road, Gauchhia and Araihajar areas due to the barricades put up by government supporters.
BNP leaders in Gazipur, Narayanganj and Narsingdhi also claimed that the administration had set up mobile courts on the road to check paperwork simply as a way of stopping vehicles bound for the rally.
Local residents said that there was a 5-km-long traffic jam on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway from Kanchpur to Narsingdi in Sonargaon Upazila.