BNP still undecided on new rally venue

BNP could not reach a decision on whether they will hold their Thursday's planned grand rally at Golapbagh ground or not as of Wednesday evening.

"BNP standing committee members sat in a meeting at 4pm to discuss evolving situation over the rally venue but no decision has been taken yet," said Rizvi at a press briefing at 6pm at Nayapaltan on Wednesday.

He said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will announce their decision at a press briefing at the party chairperson's Gulshan office at 8:30 pm today.

The BNP standing committee, the highest policymaking body of the party sat in the meeting at their party's central office following DMP's suggestion to choose a new venue instead of Suhrawardy Udyan and Nayapaltan to hold their grand rally.

Fakhrul was supposed to inform the media about their party decision on the rally venue after the meeting. But Fakhrul together with other standing committee members left Nayapaltan for Gulshan around 5:30pm without talking to the media.

Later, Rizvi said their standing committee meeting is still going on and Fakhrul will talk to the media around 8:30pm at their party chairperson's Gulshan office.

Earlier DMP Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruk said, "Police have not yet allowed BNP to hold the rally at Nayapaltan or Suhrawardy Udyan. We have suggested them to go Golapbagh ground or any other field as Thursday is a working day."

A large number of law enforcers have been deployed with riot-car and water cannons  in the Nayapaltan area.

Several hundred BNP leaders and activists also gathered in front of their party office around 5pm but they later left the area following the instruction by the party senior leaders.  

On Monday, BNP sent a letter to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) expressing its interest to hold a rally at Nayapaltan or Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.

Earlier the DMP chief urged the political parties to hold their programmes without causing public suffering as they may be forced to ban political rallies in future if those cause public suffering. 

A total of nine political parties including Awami League and BNP have sent letters to DMP seeking permission to hold rallies in the capital on 27 July but few parties will be allowed, he said.

"To hold political rallies is a democratic right of the political parties but it is the responsibility of the DMP to ensure the security of the people," he said while talking to reporters after inspecting the overall security measures on the occasion of Holy Ashura over the Tajia procession.

On Saturday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme to press home their one-point demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to pave the way for holding the next national election under a neutral government.

He said the rally will be held in the capital at 2pm as part of their simultaneous movement.