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Defy threat, obstruction

Khaleda asks people to join March 12 rally

Staff Correspondent
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday asked the government to stop its activities intended to hinder the BNP rally in the capital on Monday and said the consequences
of these would not be good.
“I am requesting you all to come to Dhaka and attend the rally ignoring all intimidation and obstructions,” Khaleda urged the people in a statement issued yesterday.
She made a similar appeal to city dwellers adding that the rally would be peaceful and lawful.
"The government has started mass arrests and hundreds of leaders and workers have been arrested. Police are searching houses, offices and party offices. The government did not give permission for the selected venues and did not allow us to
use megaphones for campaigning,” she said.
Accusing the ruling party leaders including the prime minister of making indecent and hostile remarks about the upcoming rally, she alleged that they were spreading panic across the country in a planned way.
She said people's movement would reach a new height with the March 12 rally and the government would be forced to respect their demand. “We will have no way but to go for tougher movements if our peaceful programme is hindered.
“It would be an attack on democracy if the rally is obstructed. Don't put the democracy at stake. It will not bringgood result,” she said.
She asked her party men to maintain peace avoiding confrontation and provoca-
tion.
The BNP chairperson said an illegal administrative order has been issued to keep the residential hotels and restaurants closed on the day of the rally. She claimed that threats have been made that mobile courts would be used to punish people wishing to join the rally. She claimed that the administration has issued an order so that her party workers could not hire vehicles to come to Dhaka andjoin the rally.
Khaleda declared the rally from her January 9 rally in Chittagong aiming to mount pressure on the government to restore the caretaker government system.
As per party decision, the rally would be held in front of the BNP central office in Naya Paltan since police did not give permission to use
Manik Mia Avenue or Paltan Maidan.
Party leaders said they would try to avoid confrontation but would resist attempts to obstruct them from joining the rally.
Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, member of the standing committee, said they would give their best effort to avoid confrontation and hoped good sense would prevail on the government.
A senior leader of the party said, "Nothing will go unchallenged,” adding that it would be a wrong thing to do if police or the ruling party men tried to hinder the rally on Monday.
BNP city unit leaders said leaders, workers and BNP supporters have started to gather in the capital to attend the rally and the work on setting up of a dais would start today.