& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Tension rises over Oct 25

Govt, opposition prepare to face off

Staff Correspondent
A sense of unease is growing over the political situation as both the ruling Awa mi League and its arch rival BNP are organising a show of strength in the capital on October 25.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP's key ally in the 18-party alliance, is also likely to flex its muscles in Rajshahi, Joypurhat, Chapainawabganj and elsewhere in the country the same day. It might attack law enforcers as well as the AL men, sources said.
In late October 2006, the then opposition AL and ruling BNP-Jamaal coalition mobilised hundreds of party men in the capital and fought fierce battles just a day before the power handover to the caretaker government. The violence left several people killed and hundreds injured.
To deal with a possible backlash from the opposition, the Awa mi League will continue parliament session after October 24 on the grounds of public security, according to some senior AL leaders.
Party insiders added that Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had given her consent in this regard.
The AL-led grand alliance government will start functioning as the interim government from October 25 as per the current constitutional framework to oversee the next parliamentary polls. The elections will be held 90 days before the expiry of its tenure on January 25.
The AL has decided to hold a rally in front of its central office on Bangabandhu Avenue on October 25 to highlight government's successes and seek public mandate in the next parliamentary polls, Dhaka city AL General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya told The Daily Star.
The BNP will stage a rally the same day to press for the restoration of a non-party caretaker government to oversee the next general polls, said one of its senior leaders. But the party is yet to get permission for holding the rally in Suhrawardy Udyan or Paltan.
BNP Standing Committee Member MK Anwar said they had planned for the event "much earlier".
"But the Awami League has announced a counter rally just because it wants to obstruct our programme," he said, adding that public sufferings will be multiplied and there would be negative impact on the economy," he said.
"Thus the departure of the present government will be more painful."
The BNP sources said if it does not get the per-mission, BNP
Chairperson Khaleda Zia might announce a sevenday nonstop hartal from a programme of proopposition lawyers in the capital on October 26.
AL Joint General Secretary M a h b u bu 1 Alam Hanif said if the BNP holds a peaceful rally, the government would rather help the party. If the BNP tries to create any chaos, the law enforcers will take action.
The AL leader warned of resistance and counter attacks if Jamaat or any other parties strike law enforcers or the AL men anywhere in the country.
The Rab, police and also the BGB will remain alert to the possibility of violence, according to sources in the agencies.