Rally on December 10: Venue dispute is finally been resolved!
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Due to a softening of positions by both the ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the impasse over the BNP's rally in Dhaka on December 10 is likely to be resolved.
The BNP, which was adamant about holding the program in front of its Nayapaltan headquarters, is now announcing that it will change the location if it finds another secure location in the city other than Suhrawardy Udyan and the bank of Turag.
In light of this, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Dr. Hasan Mahmud stated on Monday that there won't be any issues if the BNP chooses Purbachal as the alternate location for their rally.
BNP originally wanted to hold the rally in front of its central office at Nayapaltan while the government has given permission to the party to hold the programme at historic Suhrawardy Udyan.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police has already declared that it will not allow BNP to hold the rally on the streets.
The rigid stance of both Awami League and BNP had triggered tensions among people across the country with both of them appearing to be facing off on December 10.
BNP was not allowed to hold its programme ‘Dhaka March’ (Dhaka Obhijatra) on December 29, 2013. But this time, the government is allowing them to hold programmes in the capital.
Sources said though the government is permitting the BNP men to hold a rally in Dhaka, it will in no way allow them to take control of the streets in the capital.
Ruling Awami League said its leaders and activists will remain on high alert at every city point so that no one can stage any untoward incident and damage public property.
“We may consider holding the rally at any safe place in the capital other than Suhrawardy Udyan and the bank of Turag. If the police administration wants to know our desired place, we may inform them later,” BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas told reporters at a briefing on Monday.
Terming BNP’s intention to hold the rally on the streets a trick, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud asked the opposition party whether they want to hold the rally at Purbachal. “The alternative venue for the BNP’s rally may be Purbachal ground or Ijtema ground at Tongi or other grounds on the bank of the Buriganga,” he told reporters at the secretariat.
The political situation turned volatile after BNP remained hell-bent on holding the rally in front of its central office and following remarks of some its leaders that the country would run at the directive of their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia from that day.
Khaleda, who had been convicted in two graft cases, is now staying at her home as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on an executive order conditionally suspended her jail term.
Awami League is also planning to remain on the streets in the capital on that day so that BNP and its key ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami cannot unleash violence in the name of anti-government movement.
“The BNP leaders say they will take control of the streets of Dhaka. I want to say it clearly that the leaders and activists of Awami League will remain on guard at every point,” AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader said.
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