In a sinister, even bizarre incident, the national flag hoisted at the South Plaza of the Parliament building was replaced by an unidentified gian with a cloth banner resembling a flag yesterday morning.

A 60 inches by 45 Inches white piece of cloth, with an orange colour circle surrounded by five starts, carried Arabic and English inscrip-’ tions which read: 'Auzu btllahe mtnash shaltuanir raztm bts-mtlla hlr rahmanir rahtm' and La ilaha iltallahu muhaminad-fmr rasulallah’.

At around 10:40 am two students — one from the Dhaka k. University and another from the Eden College — who were dating near the Parliament informed the police guard on duty at the Parliament Secretariat that they had seen a man of about 40. tn a lungt and pun Jabt removing the national flag And replacing it with a piece of cloth resembling a flag.

* Informed about the incident. the police soon removed the banner and replaced it with the national flag on the mast of the South Plaza

Meanwhile. Speaker of Parliament Shaikh Razzak Ail termed the incident as "most unfortunate and undesirable.

The Speaker also told newsmen at his office that the Parliament Secretariat should have Its own security guards to maintain law and order around the Sangsad Bhaban

Presently, a police contingent of only 15 constables under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police are being deployed tn and around the Parliament building, the Speaker informed the reporters

Replying to a question. Razzak All said. "I cannot say anything about the exact motive behind the Incident, but It has definitely been done by some quarters with ulterior motives." He demanded ade quate logistic support for the Parliament Secretariat to guard against such mischief in future.

Tejgaon police informed The Dally Star that a case of subversive activity against the State has been lodged In this connection yesterday No arrest had peen made till writing of this report at midnight last The opposition parties in Parliament . strongly condemned the Incident yesterday.

Opposition Chief Whip Mohammad Nastm. while giving his reactions on the Incident, said that the government had failed to protect the national flag in such a well-guarded place as the Sangsad Bhaban.

The Opposition leader also suspected the government's hand behind the 'heinous' act.

Ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader and Minister for Public Works Rafiqul Islam Miah, while giving his reactions over telephone. told this correspondent that It was a very unfortunate incident. The Minister also observed that the police should investigate into the matter seriously and punish the criminals involved.

—-