Bangladesh News

Police yesterday barred leaders and activists of BNP-led four-party alliance from marching towards the Chief Adviser’s Office to submit a memorandum demanding release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her elder son Tarique Rahman, senior joint secretary general of the party.

The marchers set out from the compound of Nam flats on Manik Mia Avenue but police resisted them at the entrance to it. As the demonstrators attempted to break through the police cordon, the law enforcers charged batons to disperse them.

At one stage, activists of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal, BNP’s women wing, threw brickbats at police resulting in a melee that left five of them injured.

Earlier, police foiled another bid by the four-party men to come out of the NAM flats premises.

Alliance leaders present there included BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid, Islami Oikya Jote Secretary General Abdul Latif Nezami and Bangladesh Jatiya Party Secretary General Shamim Al Mamun.

Hundreds of four-party leaders and workers, most of them from BNP, had earlier gathered near Delwar’s Nam flat residence. They chanted slogans demanding Khaleda’s release.

About 20 platoons of police were deployed in the Nam flats area to ensure security. Riot police equipped with water cannons were also among them.

Meanwhile, the alliance had earlier this week announced its yesterday’s programme, and the march was to start from the premises of late president Ziaur Rahman’s grave.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) however banned the alliance’s planned street march, saying it would be a violation of the Emergency Power Rules (EPR).

Addressing the four-party men in front of his residence after police foiled their programme, Delwar condemned and protested the police action, saying this would lead to a situation of confrontation.

Delwar then presented to newsmen an 18-point charter of demands, which they wanted to submit to the chief adviser.

The demands include release of Khaleda and Tarique, sending Tarique abroad for treatment, holding the national election first, lifting the state of emergency, release of detained politicians and withdrawal of ‘fake’ cases against them.

Delwar called upon the alliance men to observe the earlier announced programme of forming human chain across the country on August 27 for realising the demands.