Aborted Khaleda Zia rally in Gazipur
We are flabbergasted at the orchestrated and ruthless manner whereby the opposition-planned rally, which was to be addressed by Khaleda Zia in Gazipur yesterday, was foiled by the government machinery in collusion with BCL cadres. It was a glaring denial of legitimate space to political opposition, which includes the rights to assembly, expression of dissent, voicing of demands and creation of public opinion in their favour. Such rights are regarded as constitutional imperatives so long as these are exercised within the bounds of law, peace and public order.
Now, here was the BNP which sought permission for a rally in Gazipur and the request was met neither with a refusal nor a go-ahead signal, rather a premeditated plan of action to prevent it happening. On the back of BCL threats to hold counter rally in the same venue, and the ruling party student cadres actually occupying it the day before, the ground lay prepared to impose Section 144 banning assembly. And the administration did it, not just for the venue but the whole of Gazipur district. The engineering that went into it was nothing but a hackneyed ploy to subvert an opposition rally. It was not even allowed to take off, so the apprehension of lawlessness remained untested as far as the BNP went, while BCL cadres took law into their own hands under the blissful eye of the state machinery.
The way BNP and Jubodal leaders are being arrested with cases stalking their footsteps, the functionality of the party may soon be at stake. When the BNP has reacted with restraint, the signal should not be lost on the government.
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