Jamaat gears up for Saturday's rally in Dhaka

Jamaat-e-Islami is taking all-out preparations for its scheduled rally on Saturday, which is expected to take place in the Baitul Mukarram area of the capital. 

According to sources within the party, Jamaat is getting positive responses from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police regarding the permission, on the condition that the rally is conducted peacefully.

Ashraful Alam Imon, the publicity and media secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat, hoped they will get cooperation from the administration without any hindrances.

Imon also stated that the party has altered its original plan to bring out a protest procession up to Kakrail intersection, and instead, the programme will be limited to Baitul Mukarram area.

Delwar Hossain, former central president of Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir and Dhaka South Jamaat Assistant Secretary, told The Business Standard that police have urged them not to hold the rally on the streets and offered them three alternative venues.

"Our leaders are still communicating with the DMP for the permission," he said, expecting the approval to come by the end of the day.

Earlier on 29 May, a four-member Jamaat delegation was taken into custody by the police when they visited the DMP Headquarters to seek permission for the rally. 

However, after their release, the DMP clarified that the delegation was not detained but instead brought in for questioning.

A source within the DMP reveals that intelligence has already gathered various information at the field level and has informed the DMP commissioner and other relevant officials. 

The intelligence reports have not found any indications of the party intending to cause chaos. In light of this information, the DMP administration is inclined to grant permission for the rally.

Yasin Arafat, a member of Jamaat-e-Islami's Majlis-e-Shura, said, "We were last allowed to hold a rally 10 years ago in March 2013. The government has not allowed us to open 3,000 of our offices across the country, including our central office in Moghbazar, for about 12 years.

"We are expecting the rally will turn into a grand one as all our units are ready to make the day a success," Arafat added. 

The party claims 91,246 of their activists have been arrested. So far, the government has filed 14,309 cases against Jamaat men and 9,584 cases against Shibir activists. Moreover, 75,035 activists were injured in attacks by law enforcement, and 5,204 activists were crippled due to shooting and physical torture. Over 5,000 houses belonging to Jamaat men have been damaged, the party sources claimed.