The caretaker government will not brook any election campaign or demonstration before November 27 as such activities violate the Emergency Power Rules (EPR). It warned of taking “stern actions” for breaching the rules.
The government took the decision yesterday at a meeting of the advisory committee on law and order against a backdrop of frequent violation of the EPR by the country’s three major political parties–the Awami League, BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Chaired by Home Adviser MA Matin, the meeting asked law enforcement agencies to go tough against violators of emergency rules until 21 days before the December 18 election date. This means electioneering will begin on November 27.
The meeting observed that a few political parties brought out processions and held rallies, and thus violated the EPR, because of a “communication gap” between the administration and them.
It said there is also a “misunderstanding” about the latest amendment to the EPR that allows political parties to campaign for 21 days before the polling date.
While briefing newsmen after the meeting, Home Secretary Abdul Karim and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Mohammad denied that they had so far given any concession to the political parties.
Karim said the authorities would no longer allow any violation of the EPR. “The EPR has been relaxed, not repealed,” he said, warning of taking tough measures against those who violate the rules.
On agitation programmes announced by Jamaat, the home secretary said law enforcement agencies have been given orders to take legal measures against any such activities.
Within hours of his warning, however, Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir brought out processions at different places across the country, including Dhaka, Chittagong, Barisal, Sylhet, Khulna and Pabna, demanding release of their leaders.
In the capital, police charged truncheons on Jamaat-Shibir activists demonstrating on the road outside Baitul Mukarram Mosque at about 4:00pm.
Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff, the director general of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, and senior officials of law enforcement and intelligence agencies attended the meeting.
They assessed the overall situation of the country and claimed that law and order was better in October than in the previous month.
“There have been violations of the emergency rules by some political parties, but we will not allow it anymore,” said the police chief, adding that the rules would be enforced strictly.
He also said political parties have been warned for prematurely starting electoral campaigns.
A press release of the police headquarters issued yesterday said, “Political parties have been violating the EPR by giving wrong explanations of lifting of the ban on political meetings and rallies.”
It described the parties’ arranging rallies and processions across the country as being “tantamount to violating the EPR 2007″.
The police headquarters requested all concerned to show respect to the laws and refrain from arranging such programmes in the interest of maintaining law and order.
BNP’S PROTEST
BNP yesterday strongly condemned and protested imposition of the ban on meetings and processions, saying it would further hamper the election atmosphere and create obstacles on the way to the election.
While speaking with reporters in an unscheduled briefing at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan said, “The government’s further restriction on holding meetings and rallies would complicate the atmosphere for free and fair election.
“The government initiative proves that our demand for lifting emergency is right,” he said, adding that its earlier pledge to lift emergency gradually was false.
Protesting the arrest of the leaders of the four-party alliance, he said the government intends to prohibit its programmes through the arrests.
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