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BCL takes over Khaleda's venue

Tension mounts in Gazipur ahead of BNP rally tomorrow

Staff Correspondent
Equipped with iron rods and sticks, several hundred Chhatra League men yesterday took control of Bhawal Badre Alam College ground in Gazipur and vowed to resist Khaleda Zia's rally tomorrow.
The BNP-led 20-party alliance called the rally to drum up public support for a fresh anti-government movement from January' demanding general elections under a nonparty administration. It will be the opposition combine's 11th rally outside Dhaka since March 31.
Tensions mounted in Gazipur as Chhatra League threatened to foil the rally if BNP chief Khaleda Zia's elder son Tarique Rahman doesn't apologise for terming
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman a ^big Razakar".
Amid huge police presence, local activists of the pro-Awami League organisation yesterday set fire to banners, festoons and placards publicising the 20-party rally in and around the college.
They also hung large banners and a canopy at the college to hold a counter rally there tomorrow in protest atTarique's abusive words against Bangabandhu.
In Dhaka, the Chhatra League president and general secretary yesterday during a press conference at its Bangabandhu Avenue office announced the decision to stage the rally at the college.
However, Khaleda Zia last night instructed party leaders, including Standing Committee Member ASM Hannan Shah and Cazipur city Mayor Abdul Mannan, to continue preparations for the rally.
She said she would leave her Gulshan residence at 2:00pm Saturday for Cazipur at any cost, according to party sources.
The BNP warned the government of dire consequences for any obstruction to the rally, and said the ruling Awami League will have to take responsibility if any untoward incidents take place in Gazipur.
"We will barricade all roads across the country if the government bars Khaleda Zia from going to Gazipur," Goyeshwer Chandra Roy said at a programme in the capital yesterday.
Gazipur district BNP President Fazlul Haque Milon too said they would hold the scheduled rally any how.
Yesterday, a BNP delegation led by Hannan Shah went to visit the venue but could not enter the college.
Asked whether there is any possibility of declaring any programmes like hartal if they are obstructed, Hannan Shah said that is one of the options they are considering.
Principal of Bhawal Badre Alam College Abu Haider Ahmed Naser told The Daily Star that he granted permission for the 20-party rally in consultation with Gazipur-1 lawmaker AKM Mozammel Haq, also a minister.
The rally was earlier scheduled for December 23. But the BNP changed the date following request of the administration and police.
Also yesterday, police arrested four BNP men from Gazipur and Joydevpur for creating unrest in the areas.
Gazipur Police Superintendent Harun-or-Rashid said they will not allow any quarter to resort to violence in the district in the name of holding rally.
Despite his assurance, people fear that clashes between 20-party and pro-government activists might break out.
On Wednesday, weapons-wielding activists of Chhatra League swooped on BNP men gathered in the capital's Bakshibazar area in a show of support for Khaleda who was to appear at a special court.
The country's political situation has apparently begun to heat up ahead of the first anniversary of January 5 polls that BNP-led alliance and most of other political parties boycotted.
Both sides are now preparing for a massive show of strength in the capital that day. The AL will observe it as the victory day for democracy and the BNP as the black day.
The AL yesterday announced that it will hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on January 5. The BNP on Monday sought permission from the authorities for a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan or Naya Paltan or Motijheel the same day.
The BCL central committee has shifted the date of a rally to celebrate its founding anniversary in the capital from January 4 to January 3, the day the BNP too wants to hold a rally in the city.