Jamaat denied permission for rally in Dhaka tomorrow

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has refused permission to the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami to hold a rally in the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan tomorrow (4 August)  to press home its demand of holding the next parliamentary election under a caretaker government.

"We are not permitting it," DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq told The Business Standard.

In response to the DMP commissioner's statement, Jamaat leaders said they never applied for the permission. 

"We have not applied for permission, we have applied for information and cooperation," Shafiqul Islam Masud, secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat, told The Business Standard.

He continued, "It is the police administration's duty to cooperate. It is our right to get their cooperation. I hope we will get this right as citizens. Otherwise, the government and the administration will face the anger of the people.

"The government and administration have no chance to avoid the monitoring of the international community. Because it is a clear violation of human rights and obstruction of democratic practices."

Earlier on Tuesday (1 August), the Jamaat-e-Islami sought cooperation from the DMP in holding a peaceful rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan on Friday (4 August).

A seven-member delegation, led by Supreme Court lawyer Abdur Razzak, filed an application with the DMP commissioner on behalf of Jamaat's Dhaka Metropolitan North and South units at the DMP office.

The delegation also included former co-secretary of Supreme Court Bar Association Advocate Rezaul Karim Khandkar, former executive member of Dhaka Bar Association Advocate Azmat Hossain, Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Abdul Karim, former executive member of Dhaka Bar Association Advocate Mujahidul Islam, and Supreme Court lawyers Ismail Hossain Sabuj and Nurunnabi Ujjal.

Jamaat-e-Islami submitted the application after cancelling another planned Dhaka rally on that day. The rally was cancelled due to not being able to secure permission from the police.

"We don't want any conflict. We are always respectful of the law. Therefore, to avoid any conflict we are cancelling today's rally. We will hold a rally on 4 August. We hope the police administration will assist us in this regard," said a press release issued on Tuesday.