BNP now wants Nayapaltan for Jan 5 rally

BNP has now sought police permission to hold a rally at Dhaka’s Nayapaltan on January 5, the day when one-sided general election held two years ago, to mark it as “death of democracy day”.

The opposition party selected Nayapaltan as its next choice hours after Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) turned down its appeal for Suhrawardy Udyan saying it would not allow any counter programmes at the venue.

A letter was submitted to DMP) today seeking permission for holding the rally at Nayapaltan, BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said while addressing a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office this afternoon.

The BNP leader also said that Awami League declared the counter rally at Suhrawardy Udyan aiming to resort to terrorism just after the declaration came from BNP.

In the wake of tension rising over planned political rallies by both Awami League and BNP to mark the January 5 general election, the DMP said earlier in the day that it would not allow counter rallies to be held on that day.

Both the archrivals announced to hold different programmes at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Tuesday (January 5) at the same time. BNP declared to hold its rally marking the day as “Death of Democracy Day,” while AL with the view of “the day of democracy saving.”