Ctg BNP to hold outdoor rally today after 8 years
For the last eight years, political activities of BNP in Chattogram have been limited to its Nasiman Bhaban office in port city.
The party, however, is going to hold an outdoor rally today in the city, protesting "irregularities" in January 27 Chattogram City Corporation elections.
Awami League mayoral candidate Rezaul Karim Chowdhury won by a landslide in the polls, marked by violence, low voter turnout and the capture of scores of polling centres by ruling party men, defeating BNP's Shahadat Hossain.
So, BNP decided to hold the rally to protest election irregularities and mount pressure on the government to hold the polls in a neutral and credible manner, according to party leaders.
BNP city unit president Dr Shahadat Hossain said they had applied for holding the programme at Outer Stadium but police permitted them for Nur Ahmed Road, in front of the party's city unit office.
He said BNP standing committee member Ameer Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury will be present as chief guest.
Abul Hashem Bakkar, general secretary of the city unit of BNP, said, "We want to let people know how the polls was manipulated by the government as well as the administration."
Asked about their failure to hold outdoor rallies in the last eight years, Hashem Bakkar said, "We wanted to do so but police did not permit us."
Echoing him, BNP city unit vice president Abu Sufian said whenever they applied for holding such programmes, they were refused by the authorities concerned.
In 2012, the party last successfully held a big public rally at the city's Polo Ground, where BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia spoke as the chief guest.
Thousands from Chattogram and adjacent districts joined it, according to party sources.
Between 2012 and 2020, BNP organised rallies in the port city where party central leaders -- including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Khondokar Mosharraf Hossain and Ameer Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury -- were present as chief guests.
But all those rallies were held at Nasiman Bhaban.
"Actually the government fears such a large public gathering. So, it continues to stop us from bringing out processions. In addition, police charge batons, arrest our leaders and activists from such programmes," alleged Shahadat.
"Holding a rally is our democratic right," he said. "If the ruling Awami League can hold a rally, why can't we do so?" he said.
"I hope the government would be wise enough to maintain democratic norms," he added.
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