The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman on Friday said permission has been given to Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for holding their grand rallies today (Saturday) on certain conditions.
The BNP rally will be held in front the party's Naya Paltan office. The ruling Awami League will hold a counter rally at the South Gate of Baitul Mukurram National Mosque in the city.
Despite the announcement the panic that plagued the citizens persists centring the public meetings called by the rival political parties while Jamaat and other groups also called their programmes on the same day.
Security has been beefed up in the capital ahead of Saturday's political rallies amid heightened tension.
Determined to prevent any violence the law enforcement agencies on Friday mounted all out security measures in the capital for Saturday's political programmes.
On Friday, the law enforcers set up check-posts and conducted street patrols in different parts of the city, especially the central Dhaka where the rallies are planned. The city outskirts have also been put under security steps.
The DMP is installing over 50 CCTV cameras around the central office of the BNP in the city's Naya Paltan ahead of the party's grand rally on Saturday. DMP's Detective Branch chief Harun-Or-Rashid revealed the information to the media after visiting the spot on Friday afternoon.
A checkpoint was set up at Gabtoli on Friday Jamal Hossain, Inspector (investigation) of Darus Salam Police Station, said they have been checking vehicles and suspected commuters at the check post.
A similar situation prevailed at Abdullahpur in Uttara, where police personnel have been searching inbound vehicles and their passengers. However, Jyotirmoy Saha, Assistant Commissioner of the Uttara zone police, claimed that the check posts are part of their routine work.
A team from Shyampur Police Station are checking vehicles and passengers on the approach road to Postagola Bridge. Najrul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of the police station, said the check posts are aimed at preventing miscreants and drug smugglers from entering the capital city with arms.
Though Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami sought permission to hold a rally at Shapla Chattor in Motijheel but the DMP has already denied permission to the party.
BNP has called for the grand rally to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to pave the way for a neutral caretaker administration to supervise the upcoming national election, due in first week of January.
It also wants an unconditional release of the party's ailing chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. The opposition party has promised to make its rally peaceful.
Thousands of BNP leaders and activists started pouring into Naya Paltan on Friday, a day before their grand rally. They said they arrived early fearing that law enforcers may block their journey on Saturday.
Accusing the BNP of trying to create anarchy before the polls the Awami League has vowed to resist it. The call their programme as peace rally. Jamaat is also demanding the resignation of the government for creating an environment conducive to holding free and fair election.
The ruling Awami League has sought permission to hold rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, BNP in front of their party office at Naya Paltan, Ganatantra Mancha at Matsya Bhaban and the 12-party alliance in the Bijaynagar area on the day, the DMP is yet to give permission formally till filing of this report at 7:30pm.
Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operation) of the DMP headquarters Khandker Mahid Uddin told reporters that though Jamaat-e-Islami has submitted an application for permission but a political party like Jamaat will not be allowed in places like Shapla Chattor to hold any rally.
Meanwhile, tensions have been rising among the city dwellers centring the Saturday's rallies. Hundreds of thousands of BNP leaders and activists have already reportedly entered Dhaka to join the party's grand rally demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Replying to another question Khandker Mahid said the final decisions for the permission of holding rallies would be informed to the concerned political parties formally in the evening.
About beefing up security measures in the capital ahead of the rallies, he said that all out security measures have already been taken in the capital since Friday morning.
Special check posts have been set up alongside police patrolling to prevent any untoward incident. Besides, the security will be further beefed up from the evening, he added.
Assistant Director (media) at the RAB headquarters ASP Imran Khan said on Friday that 1,500 members from the elite force have already been deployed in the capital city to maintain security and public safety. They will work to prevent any vandalism and attempt to destroy public property.
RAB members are already conducting check posts, street patrolling and intelligence surveillance in plain clothes. Check-posts have been set up at Abdullahpur, Rampura, Pubachal 300 Feet road, Amtali, Basila, Agargaon, Shishu Mela, Kachukhet, Technical crossing, Mirpur Kazipara, Savar, Manikganj, Demra, Postogola and Syedabad.
RAB members are also on duty in Mohammadpur, Adabar, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, Newmarket, Hazaribagh, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Tejgaon and Tejgaon industrial areas through special 'Robust Patrol', said the official.
Bus services from Mymensingh to Dhaka have been abruptly halted, much to the dismay of commuters. Transporters attributed the suspension to concerns over potential acts of vandalism in light of the upcoming political rallies in the capital.
On Friday, passengers at the Baskanda Bus Terminal and the Patgudam Bridge intersection in Mymensingh city were surprised to learn that buses arriving from Dhaka would not be making the return trip.
Consequently, numerous Dhaka-bound passengers were stranded at the bus station. Frustrated passengers expressed their dismay, emphasizing the adverse impact of political unrest on ordinary citizens.
Meanwhile, RAB-3 members are conducting search operations in front of the Secretariat and Notre Dame College in the capital's Kamalapur area.
RAB-4 members are conducting searches of people and vehicles at Kachukhet, Technical, Mirpur Kazipara, Savar and Manikganj. RAB-10 were seen doing the same at Demra, Postagola and Syedabad points.
