No rally in Bhola amid transport ban
Yesterday was the first Friday after the fierce clash in Bhola’s Borhanuddin over a hate conversation, and the day passed peacefully, amid the authorities’ restrictions on plying launch and bus, and holding outdoor programmes.
The district administration imposed the restrictions on movement of launch and bus on internal routes yesterday morning. It also restricted holding of outdoor programmes on Thursday as a preventive measure ahead of Friday’s Juma prayers.
Bhola Deputy Commissioner Masud Alam Siddique said both the decisions were made to maintain law and order. “There were no reports of any untoward incident in the district.”
The district’s overall situation had been volatile as two Islamic parties planned separate programmes for yesterday to hold special prayers and agitations for protesting the death of four people in Sunday’s clash with police during a protest rally over hate speech spread through Facebook messengers in Borhanuddin.
The rally was organised to protest anti-religious messages, sent from Biplob Chandra Baidya’s hacked Facebook account, at Eidgah Maidan in Borhanuddin.
As the authorities refused to give permission for holding any outdoor events yesterday, Sharbadalia Muslim Oikya Parishad and Islami Adolon Bangladesh postponed their agitation programmes on Thursday night.
Launch and bus operators said the authorities around 6:00am yesterday asked them to stop their services until further orders.
The internal road communications, including Bhola Sadar with Char Fashion route to Borhanuddin, and ferry service between Bhola and Barishal, and Bhola and Laxmipur remained suspended until 3:00pm.
This sudden disruption in communications caused immense sufferings for travellers. Many launch passengers were seen waiting at terminals while many returned home.
“We need to go to Dhaka for an urgent work, we planned to travel by a launch that leaves Barishal for Dhaka around 3:00pm. But we cannot reach Barishal, we are stuck here,” said Raushan Ara and her family at Bheduria launch terminal in Bhola.
DC Masud said the launch and boat services resumed around 3:00pm.
Police beefed up security at important locations and around main mosques of the district town. BGB, police, and Rab stepped up their patrols as a precaution, although there was no sign of any specific threat.
Many plainclothes policemen also kept their eyes on situation, said the law enforcers.
Shajahan Mia, who runs a grocery shop in the town, said it was really a good news that no untoward incident happened in the district.
Meanwhile, Sharbadalia Muslim Oikya Parishad Joint Member Secretary Mizanur Rahman alleged that the law enforcers harassed many alems.
The parishad formed after Sunday’s clash placed a six-point demand at a press conference at Bhola Press Club.
The demands include immediate withdrawal of the superintendent of police in Bhola and the officer-in-charge of Borhanuddin Police Station, and capital punishment for the Hindu youth who they claimed was responsible for the spread of the hate speech.
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