The situation in the capital city of Dhaka and elsewhere in the country is getting tense centring rallies and counter rallies of different political parties, including the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP, on Friday.
Although schedules of rallies of both the ruling party and the opposition have been shifted from Today (Thursday) to tomorrow (Friday), possibilities of violence remain there.
The rallies of opposition BNP and its like-minded parties were scheduled to be held on Thursday in the capital’s Nayapaltan and the adjacent areas while a joint rally of three affiliated bodies of AL—Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League and Chhatra League—was also scheduled to be held in front of the South gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque.
But, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) did not allow the political parties to hold rallies in the same area apprehending violence. In view of public suffering, the police also did not allow the rallies on office day.
In the situation the BNP and its like-minded parties shifted their schedule of rallies. But the venues remain unchanged.
Meanwhile, the affiliate organisations of the ruling Awami League have been allowed to hold their rally at Agargaon near Bangabandhu International Conference Centre instead of the South gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque.
Panic gripped mass people suspect that violence or other untoward incidents may take place between the activists of different parties on their way to the respective venues.
According to sources, the opposition parties are trying to create anarchy for drawing attention of the international community and to prove that the law and order situation in the country is not stable.
They may resort to violence on their way to the rally venue with processions from different parts of capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.
In the circumstances, different law-enforcement agencies and other security forces have taken stringent measures to keep the situation under control.
Apart from deployment of additional forces in and around the capital, check points have been installed at all the entrances and strategic points in Dhaka.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities repeatedly have been requesting all the political parties to maintain peace and order.
The DMP also requested the political parties to consider the public sufferings.
The BNP and some of its like-minded parties have called rallies at the same time in capital Dhaka with their one-point demand of resignation of the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for holding the next 12th Parliamentary Election under a caretaker government.
It should be mentioned that the caretaker government system demanded by the BNP is an unconstitutional one and this system has earlier been rejected by the Supreme Court.
Leaders of the ruling Awami League claimed that the BNP and its like-minded parties, in the name of rallies, are trying to create anarchy. The ruling party leaders also said that the ill-attempt of the opposition parties would be dealt with strong hands.
On the other hand, BNP leaders said the result would not be good if their political programmes are obstructed by any forces.
Meanwhile, officials of the law-enforcement agencies said that they would not tolerate any unlawful act in the name of political programmes.
According to sources, the law-enforcement agencies have taken multi-tire security measures centring rallies of different political parties at the same time and near to each other.
Alongside police, personnel from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Coast Guard, Boarder Guard Bangladesh and Ansar have been engaged for the security purpose, the sources said.
Besides, plain clothed personnel from different intelligence agencies have also been deployed all over the capital.
Moreover, close circuit cameras have been installed at many points to monitor the movement of the activists and the entire situation while helicopters will remain hovering over the sky.
Law-enforcement and security officials said they were trying their best so that none could avail of any scope to cause trouble.
