BNP vows to hold Oct 25 rally at any cost

The BNP-led 18-party alliance will hold its October 25 rally in the capital, no matter whether the government permits it or not, BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed said in Kurigram on Thursday.

“As BNP believes in constitutional and peaceful politics, it has sought permission for the Oct 25 rally of the 18-party alliance. However, the rally must be held even if the government doesn’t give permission for it,” he told a press conference at Kurigram Press Club at noon.

The press conference was arranged in the wake of ‘police siege’ to the BNP’s central office at Nayapaltan in the capital.

Turning to the police act, Rizvi said the siege and the arrest of party leaders and activists have manifested the autocratic behaviour of the government.

Amid the deepening political crisis over the nature of polls-time government, police on Thursday cordoned off the main opposition’s central office, escalating tension.

BNP leaders and activists alleged that the party central office was virtually cordoned off in the morning as nobody was allowed to get into and come out of it.

The BNP joint secretary general warned that the government will have to face dire consequences if it does not stop such undemocratic behaviour.

Alleging that the opposition leaders and activists have so far been subjected to repression and torture, he announced that if the government tries to obstruct their October 25 rally, they would resist its evil attempt.