& 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 mounts in port city over AL, BNP rallies

Arun Bikash Dey, ctg
Tension is mounting in Chittagong city as both the ruling Awami League and main opposition BNP have called for rallies at the same venue on the same days.
Both BNP and AL called for mass rallies at Laldighi Maidan in the city from October 24 to 26. At a press conference on Sunday, AL Chittagong city President ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury said they will hold rallies at the venue on October 24 and 25, but later the party decided to hold a rally on October 26 as well.
BNP have announced rallies on the same days; as well as another rally on October 27.
Although Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) has not given permission to either of the parties to hold the rallies, AL has already begun announcing the rallies over loudspeakers in the city.
Talking to The Daily Star, Badiul Alam, organising secretary of Chittagong city unit of AL, said, "We will hold another rally on October
27 if needed.
AL is not holding rallies to counter BNP rallies, he said.
“Our dty president had gone to perform Hajj and the day after he returned to Chittagong, we announced the rallies in a press conference" he added referring to Sunda/spress conference
Regarding people's fear of political clashes in the city, Badiul said BNP is the one creating panic as the party said they would paralyse the country after October 24.
Meanwhile, leaders of Chittagong city unit BNP claimed that AL called for rallies at the same venue on the same days to thwart the opposition's rallies.
"We have already received permission from the ground authorities for holding rallies on the maidan on the four days and it is the administration's job to take necessary steps so that we can hold the rallies," said Ameer Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, president of Chittagong city unit BNP, adding that AL can easily hold its rallies ata differentvenue. "They (AL) are announcing their rallies over loudspeakers although they have not gotten permission from police," he told The Daily Star, adding that AL does everything through "muscle power”.
Meanwhile, CMP has not given permission for the rallies till yesterday evening. Sources said the police force is trying to negotiate with the two parties and if it fails, section 144 might be imposed.
CMP Commissioner Shafiqul Islam said they will inform the media about their decision in due time.