Leaders, activists and supporters of Awami League and its different affiliated organisations remained vigilant on Saturday in the capital city of Dhaka and elsewhere in the country with a view to protecting life and property of people.
The ruling party did that as the party was mandated by the people of the country to protect democracy and the Constitution of the country, said leaders of the ruling party.
The law-enforcement agencies and the ruling party had information that the BNP and its allies might have tried to create anarchy, chaos and indulge in sabotage in the name of rally on Saturday (December 10).
The leaders of the ruling party also said that they would continue their vigilance to keep the country safe from the anti-liberation forces, killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and vested quarters at home and abroad who want to destabilize the country through acts of terrorism, conspiracy and sabotage.
The AL leaders also said that they would not allow anyone to create anarchy and stop the flow of development, peace, progress and prosperity of the country and its people.
According to witnesses, as part of the decision and policy of the ruling party, the leaders and activists of Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League, Sramik League and other affiliate organisations remained vigilant by taking positions at different strategic points and places. They brought out processions and held rallies at different places in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.
Kamrul Hasan Ripon, president of Swechchhasebak League’s Dhaka Metropolitan South Unit, said: “We are guarding the entrances of Dhaka in the east to prevent any bid to create disorder. We’ve our men at all points.”
Lekhak Bhattacharjee, general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, said they ordered all the local units to remain alert to prevent acts of sabotage.
Abdur Rahman, a presidium member of the Awami League, said they have been preparing since Thursday to “challenge the BNP politically”.
“A political party can organise rallies or take out processions. The Awami League has nothing to do with it. But we are alert to tackle deadly fire-bombings in the name of rallies,” he said.
As fears of a full-blown confrontation between the two major political camps grew ahead of the BNP’s rally, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader reassured people of steps to maintain peace.
In Mugda, two motorcycles were burnt as the activists of the ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party chased each other in Dhaka’s Mugda area, centering BNP’s rally at Golapbagh field on Saturday. The incident took place in the afternoon near Mugda General Hospital.
Alongside, law enforcement agencies, activists of Awami League, Juba League and Chhatra League were also seen taking position on city streets to prevent what they said ‘any act of sabotage ’ by BNP men.
BNP supporters were seen heading towards the rally venue on foot as public transport remained off the streets from Saturday morning.
On Dhaka University campus, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) took up a strong stance against the BNP's Dhaka divisional mass rally in the capital.
Leaders and activists of BCL, the student wing of ruling Awami League, have taken up position at major entry points of the campus.
According to Chhatra League, they continued checking up mobile phones of persons at the Nilkhet entry point and identified 10 to 12 BNP supporters and handed them over to the police.
The Chhatra League men on Saturday morning, in two phases detained these 10 to 12 persons they suspected to be BNP supporters. After going through the contents of their mobile phones and assaulting them, they handed them over to the police.
President of Dhaka University's Sir AF Rahman Hall BCL unit, Reazul Islam said, "BNP and Chhatra Dal miscreants have come to Dhaka with plans of carrying out subversive activities. The student community has got united to stand up against these criminals. We will bury the evil politics of BNP and Jamaat."
According to witnesses, almost all the streets in Dhaka city remained almost empty since Saturday morning with a nominal number of transports plying. The presence of pedestrians and commuters was also thin.
However, the policemen were seen alert at different points across the city. The city thoroughfares were found almost free from motorbikes and private vehicles in Mohammadpur, Shia Masjid, College Gate, Asad Avenue, Khamarbari, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar areas between 7:30 am and 8:15 am. Some CNG-run auto rickshaws were seen plying the roads.
The police remained alert on the opposite side of Ganabhaban, at the rear gate of Residential Model College, Shia Masjid intersection, Asad Avenue, and Farmgate bus stand area.
Along with the policemen, the Awami League leaders and activists took positions in the Farmgate area.
AL and its affiliated bodies also remained vigilant and held rallies in different districts and upazila across the country.
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said all affiliated organisations of the AL were on high alert at every nook and cranny of the city keeping a close watch on the activities of the BNP before its December 10 rally.