BNP gets 'verbal permission' from DMP to hold rally

BNP yesterday said it got permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to hold a rally in the capital on Saturday (September 1), marking the party's 40th founding anniversary.

Speaking to The Daily Star, BNP Publicity Affairs Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee said they received “verbal permission” to hold the rally in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office.

The BNP leader said DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia gave them the permission as he and two other party leaders -- Abul Khair and Abdus Salam Azad -- met him at his office around 1:30pm.

On August 14, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced that they would hold the rally at either Suhrawardy Udyan or in front of their Nayapaltan central office on the occasion of BNP's founding anniversary.

Police have been denying BNP to hold any rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan for the last two years.

The party held a rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office around a month ago, demanding release of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

On September 1, 1978, Ziaur Rahman founded the party with a 19-point programme to develop a “self-reliant Bangladesh”.