Hefajat gets nod from cops for Motijheel rally

An aerial view of the Shapla Chattar at Motijheel in the capital. File photo

Police on Thursday gave the Hefajat-e-Islam 'conditional permission' to hold its rally at the Shapla Chattar in Motijheel of the capital on April 6.

The organisation is scheduled to hold the rally to protest what it termed the bloggers write-ups 'defaming' the Islam and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

The Hefajat is a so-called Islamist organisation played an instrumental role in a wake of propaganda that the bloggers who initiated the Shahbagh movement are posting anti-Islam write-ups.

It will hold the rally at Shapla Chattar as they did not get permission for holding the rally at Paltan Maidan or Manik Mia Avenue, said Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

The DMP also limited their venue from Shapla Chhatra to Fakirerpool via Arambagh, nearly a half-kilometre area, for the rally, Masudur said.

Police imposed 12-condition for holding the rally. The conditions include not resorting to any anarchic activity that damaged public lives or properties and refraining from any kind of violation of law and order.

Earlier on March 30, Hefajat asked DMP’s permission for holding a rally at any of these three places - Shapla Chattar, Paltan Maidan or Manik Mia Avenue.