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Capital braces for political face-off

Fear of violence grows as opposition vows to defy ban on gathering; AL 'to resist' today's rally

Staff Correspondent
The two archrival political camps are heading for a showdown today with dogged determination - the BNP-led opposition to stage the Dhaka march and the ruling Awami League to resist it.
With only six days left to the January 5 polls, city dwellers are on their nerves fearing political conflicts centred in the capital after countrywide killings, arson and blasts over the past one month.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday instructed activists of her party and allies to defy obstructions from the law enforcers and ruling party men and hold the protest march at any cost.
She herself will start marching from her Gulshan residence towards the party's Nayapaltan headquarters around 2:30pm today, no matter police permits it or not, her close aides said.
"If police bar her motorcade, the
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opposition men will be asked to march towards her residence. The BNP chief might instantly announce the next course of action right where she will be barred," said one of the aides. “Madam's reaction will depend on the government attitude."
On the other hand, AL leaders Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Qamrul Islam called upon the party activists to be vigilant at every ward of the city for any subversive activities by the opposition.
Maya, general secretary of the AL Dhaka city unit, asked them to guard the eight entry points of the capital and ensure that not even "an insect can sneak through”.
"Even if the devil enters through any of these points, disciplinary action will be taken against leaders and activists responsible for this," he said during an extended meeting of the unit at the AL headquarters on Bangabandhu Avenue.
Qamrul, also state minister for law, said at the meeting, "We will have to fight against Jamaat-Shibir with sticks in hands like we did in 1971. The fight will continue till January 5. ”
Also at the meeting, AL Presidium Member Obaidul Quader said, "As we are involved in politics, we will face the programme politically.
He strictly directed his party men not to do any provocative activities that may lead to violence. "We will neither provoke others nor attack them. But we will have to resist any attack on public lives and properties."
"Besides,” he added, "law enforcement agencies will be there to prevent any sort of violence."
Khaleda Zia, also the chief of 18-party opposition alliance, on Tuesday urged people from every corner of the country to march towards the capital today to force the government to postpone the January 5 polls.
She also called on all to gather in front of her party headquarters at Nayapaltan after the protest march.
Yesterday, the BNP chief informed the media through her party's Vice-Chairman Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed that she would join the march on time.
At a hurriedly called press conference at the Jatiya Pres Club, Hafiz Uddin also said opposition leaders, activists and supporters, will start to gather in front of the Nayapaltan office around 10:00am today.
In a press release, BNP acting secretary general Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned that the government would be held responsible for any untoward situation as it has put the law enforcers against people.
Khaleda over the phone asked the party leaders of Dhaka city and district and asked them to participate in the march with as many people as possible. She also asked the party's top leaders to be present at the Nayapaltan office by 10:00am today, a BNP leader said.
"She has also instructed us to defy police barricades and proceed towards the venue," another party leader said.
Senior BNP leaders last night held a meeting in Dhaka to finalise their strategy and instructed grassroots leaders accordingly.
Asked, a number of BNP and 18-party alliance leaders claimed over two lakh opposition men already came to the capital and were staying with their friends and relatives.
Moreover, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, a close ally of Qawmi madrasa-based Hefajat-e Islam, last night announced it would join the march.
Apart from stepping up security measures in the capital, law enforcers yesterday detained 2,400 men across the country, a top official at police headquarters told The Daily Star last night. He also said usually the number of arrestees varies from 1,500 to 1,700 aday.
Last night, security protocol for Khaleda Zia as leader of the opposition was withdrawn, a staff at her Gulshan residence told The Daily Star.
A BNP leader said: "Khaleda was scheduled to attend a family programme at a relative’s house last night. The security men were also asked to escort her. But within a while, they left her residence saying the higher authority has instructed them to do so."
However, a large number of police, both male and female, remained deployed near the BNP chiefs house as of 1:00am today.
Besides, four sand-laden trucks were seen parked near Khaleda's residence last night. The trucks, which were on the way from Badda to Natun Bazar, moved here at the instructions of law enforcers, drivers and helpers said.
The purpose of this was not clear but sources said preparations were going on to build barricades with sand bags at the entrances of Khaleda's house.