BNP’s sit-ins: Huge law enforcers deployed at Dhaka’s key entry points

A huge number of law enforcers have been deployed at the key entry points of Dhaka centring BNP's sit-ins as Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday night said it will not allow the party to hold their programme.

Visiting Uttara BNS Centre, Gabtoli's SA Khalek Bus Station, Nayabaza and Jatrabari it was seen that several hundred members of police and Ansars took position there and they are not allowing anyone to gather in the areas.

Some BNP men tried to converge on Gabtoli but police obstructed them.

Though BNP is scheduled to observe the sit-ins from 11am to 4pm, the opposition activists were not seen on the streets in other areas as of 10:40am.

Earlier on Friday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced from their mammoth grand rally at Nayapaltan that they will stage a five-hour sit-in programme at all the important entry points of the capital on Saturday to press home their one-point demand.

"Our programme will be completely peaceful. Observing this programme is our constitutional right," the BNP leader told the rally.

As per the party's plan, Dhaka north city unit of BNP is supposed stage sit-ins in front of Uttara BNS Centre and Gabtoli's SA Khalek Bus Station while Dhaka south city unit in front of Nayabazar BNP office and in front of Dania College on Chattogram Road at Jatrabari.

Later, Awami League and its youth wing, Jubo League, announced to hold peace rallies at Abdullahpur, Tongi, Gabtoli, Aminbazar, Babuh Bazar, Signboard, Kanchpur, Jatrabari and other entry points of the city from 10am to 5pm.

Amid the growing fear of violence and confrontation, Dhaka Metropolitan Police said it will not allow BNP and Awami League to hold such programmes at the entry points of the capital considering the intelligence reports of deteriorating law and order and public suffering.

Following the DMP's moves, the ruling party backed off from its decision to hold rallies, but they will remain alert on the streets.