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Ban relaxed after drama

Staff Correspondent
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's resolve and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's intervention finally made it possible for a pro-BNP professionals' convention to take place in the capital yesterday despite a police ban on political gatherings.
Tension ran high throughout the morning over the fate of the conven-tion, organised by Bangladesh Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad, a platform of pro-BNP professionals, as police with riot cars and water cannons took position around the venue, Bangabandhu International Convention Centre (BICC).
After issuing an indefinite ban on political gatherings in the capital from 6:00am Sunday, police asked the organisers twice on Saturday not to go ahead with the programme.
The organisers then discussed the matter with their chief guest Khaleda Zia, who was determined all along to attend the convention defying the ban.
As participants began to arrive at the venue in small groups, police asked them to go away.
Reacting to police action, Ruhul Amin Gazi, convener of the organising committee of the convention, told reporters that they would go ahead with their plan to hold the convention with the BNP chairperson as the chief guest.
Gazi's decision was not changed even when news that BICC authorities had cancelled their booking reached him.
Meanwhile, mixed reactions from different political quarters prompted the ruling Awami League policymakers to raise the matter with the prime minister.
She in turn instructed the police to relax the ban, confirmed DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Masudur Rahman.
AL policymaker Kazi Zafarullah told The Daily Star that police overreacted and cancelled the programme in the morning.
"We felt there was no logic behind cancelling any closed-door programme. So we requested the PM to allow the programme," he said.
Indoor meetings should not affect DMP's ban, he added.
Though police initially cited public security concern as the reason for not allowing the convention, they changed their stance within an hour.
Talking to reporters around 12 noon, Deputy Commissioner of DMP (Tejgaon division) Biplob Kumar Sarker said, "We are not allowing the programme considering public safety."
However, when permission to hold the convention was given around 1:00pm with 14 conditions attached including, refraining from making provocative speeches and bringing out processions, he said, "We think security will not be breached."