Tension rises as Bangladesh Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh National Party (BNP) called counter rallies on same day in Sylhet City. Though the both parties called their rallies at the same ground, later AL shifted its location to a different place in the city but tensions remaining as the rallies are set on the same day.
The divisional rally of Sylhet BNP, as part of central programs, will be held on Saturday 2pm at the city’s registrary ground on 10 point demands to rescue democracy of the country. On the same day, the rally of Sylhet AL will be held at Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar premise at 3pm.
On January 25, the Secretary General of BNP Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir declared the party’s Sylhet Division rally on February 4 and Sylhet BNP has been campaigning to success the gathering since the program declared. Later on Wednesday, AL Sylhet district and city units also declared their program ‘Peace Rally’ on the same day BNP sets earlier.
AL in a press conference on Wednesday night declared their program to be held on Saturday, February 4 and mentioned the rally’s location at the city’s Registrary Ground, the location where BNP declared their divisional congregation earlier. Later on Thursday in a press release AL mentioned, the location of the peace congregation of Awami League has been changed and shifted to Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar premise due to another program of a different political party was declared on the same ground before.
Sylhet BNP leader claimed that Awami League declared their program on the same date to obstruct BNP’s peaceful rally and to push the peaceful programme into conflicting situation.
But AL leaders said, our program was set not to obstruct anyone but to protest them who attempt to destroy peace countrywide in the name of political program and Sylhet AL will bring out a march on Saturday. Though the march was to start from ragistraty ground but the location has been changed to avoid any untoward situation as BNP set another program at this ground same day.
General Secretary of Sylhet District AL Advocate Nasir Uddin Khan in a reply told Bangladesh Post- ‘Political programs of many parties can be held same day in same area and its very normal. There are law enforcement agencies; they will ensure the security measures if any untoward situation arises.’
‘Our rally is shifted to Shaheed Minar premise and the Organising Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel attend as the chief guest and the Presidium Member Syeda Jebunnesa Haque will attend as special guest’- He added. Sylhet BNP leaders demanded that the program of BNP as part of central activity was declared on January and after setting the location, BNP informed to the metropolitan police in a written paper. Sylhet BNP activists are remained very active and campaigning even to root level to make the rally successful.
District BNP President Abdul Kaium Chawdhury to Bangladesh Post- ‘we have done all preparation to make the divisional congregation successful and people from all walks are eagerly awaited to attend the program.’
Quoting AL program, Kaium said, the government is failure to halt the massive flows of people in BNP’s Sylhet rally in many ways and now they want to push our peaceful congregation to a conflicting situation. This is why they called their rally on the same day.
The Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, Sudip Das told Bangladesh Post- ‘law enforcement agencies are alert to avoid any unlikely situation in the city.’
