July 27 Rallies: AL plans tight rein on the capital
The Awami League will mobilise its activists across Dhaka city from early tomorrow in a bid to tighten its grip on the capital, fearing the BNP and its like-minded parties may bring the city to a standstill by sparking off untoward incidents.
Alongside organising its "peace rally" to counter the BNP's grand rally, the party will put its leaders and activists on guard throughout the city, say party insiders.
Besides, the party will ensure a record gathering at the rally to be held at the south gate of the Baitul Mukarram national mosque to show its strength.
The rally will be organised by the Jubo League, Chhatra League and Swechchhasebak League. The Dhaka city AL (north and south) leaders and activists will be at their respective unit offices, according to party sources.
The city unit leaders and activists will remain vigilant from tomorrow morning as ruling party leaders are in the dark about the BNP's plans centring its grand rally, sources said.
They, however, were also asked not to thwart BNP activists from joining the rally, but were told to stay alert in case the BNP tried to unleash chaos on the city streets.
Party sources say the AL leadership is apprehensive about the possibility of another Shapla Chattar incident.
On May 5, 2013, Hefajat-e-Islam supporters locked in deadly clashes with law enforcers and AL activists in Motijheel and adjacent areas, turning the capital city into a battlefield. They set fire to hundreds of shops, vehicles and police outposts and looted shops.
Apart from the rallies to be organised by the BNP and its like-minded parties, ruling party leaders are also worried about a protest rally that the Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) has announced to hold on the same day at the north gate of the Baitul Mukarram, which is quite near the AL's rally venue.
Though the IAB is not an ally of the BNP, it has recently extended its support for the party's one-point movement. At tomorrow's protest rally, it will press for several demands, including the dissolvement of parliament and the Election Commission.
Law enforcers have also taken all-out measures, including keeping BNP leaders and activists under close watch, and preventing its activists from inviting people to join its grand rally using loudspeakers.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will set up check posts at various points in the capital to enhance security, along with additional posts with metal detectors at the city's entry points.
Intelligence-led operations to recover arms and explosives have also been ordered in connection with the BNP rally, a high-ranking police official told The Daily Star, requesting anonymity.
At the BNP rally, an adequate number of police officials will be deployed to capture footage while watchtowers will be erected around the venue for enhanced surveillance, said police sources.
Dog squads will also be deployed at check posts to ensure thorough searches. Uniformed policemen will be accompanied by plainclothes officers to further strengthen security arrangements.
The DMP will give BNP permission at the last minute to hold its rally. The final decision on BNP's rally venue will be made after analysing an intelligence report so that the police can take security measures to ensure safety for all, said sources at the DMP.
Speaking to The Daily Star, DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq said the police, as public servants, would provide necessary support to all parties to hold rallies. He, however, said any attempt to incite violence and anarchy would not be tolerated.
Mohammad Harun Or Rashid, additional commissioner (Detective Branch) of DMP, said comprehensive security measures would be taken to address all potential risks, although there was no information about any subversive activities or attempts at the moment.
"Nevertheless, we are exercising increased vigilance to prevent any unauthorised activities and ensure a safe environment during the events," he added.
The AL will go all out to bring party activists, especially the young, from greater Dhaka and especially upazilas adjacent to the capital to ensure a large gathering at the planned "peace rally".
The AL MPs from Dhaka district have been asked to reach out to party activists, increase their activities and extend their cooperation to the associate bodies to make the rally a success, said party insiders.
According to sources, the BNP requested the AL high-ups to hold its "peace rally" on a later date to avoid the possibility of confrontations, but the ruling party turned down the proposal.
Speaking to The Daily Star, AL Joint General Secretary Bahauddin Nasim said they would stay alert tomorrow as the BNP, as an unpredictable party, can stage anything.
"BNP may go for violent activities to resist the election. Also, we do not dismiss the possibility of recurrence of a Shapla Chattar-like situation. But we will not let BNP do anything that will harm the countrymen," he said.
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, after a views-exchange meeting at the party headquarters on Bangabandhu Avenue, yesterday urged the party leaders and activists to stay alert till the next polls.
"We will stay alert on the ground. We will resist those who will unleash chaos," he said.