Police did not allow Awami League-backed Sammilita Birodhi Dal (SBD) to hold its scheduled rally at Laldighi Maidan in Chittagong yesterday while the ruling four-party alliance held its on the road adjacent to the venue.
Tension gripped the port city yesterday as both SBD and Bangladesh Nationalist Party
(BNP)-led alliance had earlier declared to hold rallies at the same venue.
Police aided by paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) cordoned off Laldighi Maidan from early morning yesterday. Earlier on Friday night the law enforcers dismantled the dais SBD erected at the venue without police permission.
FROM PAGE 12
AL backed SBD had called the meeting in support of its 40-point demand for the development of Chittagong while the four-party alliance to celebrate its three years in power.
Security was tightened over the one kilometre long road between Laldighi Maidan and Darul Fazal market to avert clashes.
A large number of police in riot gear, along with armed police battalion (APBN) members, barricaded the Central Shahid Minar at about 4:20pm yesterday and blocked the Laldighi Maidan-bound procession of hundreds of SBD supporters, mostly AL adherents.
Leaders of SBD including Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury were on a makeshift dais on a truck accompanying the procession.
Earlier a brief rally was held in front of the city AL office premises at Darul Fazal Market at 4:10pm.
As the demonstrators attempted to break the barricade set up by a truck and a van, a heated altercation started between them and the police officials. City mayor, also the general secretary of city unit AL, however, intervened and calmed down the supporters.
SBD later held two more rallies at Shahid Minar and Cinema Palace.
SBD Rally
City Mayor ABM Mohiuddin
Chowdhury declared a six-day
agitation programme at six thanas of the city from 10th of Holy Ramadan. Besides, he announced to arrange joint meeting of all opposition parties in every ward of the city from October 20 to forge greater unity against the ruling coalition.
ALLIANCE RALLY
Speakers at the rally organised by the Chittagong unit of ruling four-party alliance, said that when the government is going ahead with its electoral pledge of eradicating terrorism, AL is following the path of anarchism.
The speakers called on the people of Chittagong to reject ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury in the next mayoral election. They accused him of not having any concrete plans for the development of Chittagong.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mir Md Nasiruddin Chowdhury, also the convenor of the local four-party alliance, described Mohiuddin Chowdhury as a sycophant of the AL chief (Sheikh Hasina). He said Mohiuddin like his leader talks in a language utterly devoid of decency.
Chittagong city Jatiya Party President Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Moulana Shamsul Islam, Islami Oikya Jote leader Moulana Abdur Rahim and Shahjahan Chowdhury MP also spoke at the rally.