Staff Reporter :The BNP-led 20-party alliance is still determined to hold the January 5 rally in the city although they have not yet got permission from the authorities. BNP leaders have not yet been able to meet the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner to discuss permission for the proposed rally. A three-member delegation went to meet the DMP commissioner at his office in the city on Saturday morning to seek permission. But once again, they did not receive any response from the DMP authorities. “We waited there nearly for an hour but no police officials met with us,” said Zainul Abdin Farroque, publicity secretary of the BNP. Abdul Awal Mintoo, joint convener of BNP Dhaka city unit, and BNP’s assistant office secretary Abdul Latif Jony were there with Farroque.Commissioner Benazir Ahmed had gone to Tungipara with the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque. Benazir Ahmed has been appointed the new Director General of Rapid Action Battalion but was yet to hand over responsibility to DIG Asaduzzaman Mia who is slated to take over as DMP commissioner.BNP leaders returned from the DMP commissioner’s office also on Thursday without being able to meet him. “It is like last Thursday. We could not meet the DMP commissioner or other senior officials,” said Farroque.When asked what they do if they do not get permission for holding rally at city’s Suhrawardy Udyan or any other place, Farroque said that they believe in democracy. So they are still hoping that they will get permission. Sources said that the BNP-led alliance is committed to hold the rally even they don’t get permission. BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has asked the senior leaders of the party and the leaders of the Dhaka city unit to take to the streets defying government’s obstruction. She will come out in the street defying any obstacle. “If she fails to come out from her residence or the rally is foiled, in that case Khaleda Zia will announce non-stop hartal or other programme like blockade from the day,” said a BNP leader.BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and some other senior leaders have already said that the 20-party alliance would hold the rally at any cost even without permission. He also hinted of tougher course of action like non-stop hartal and blockade. M Golam Mustafa Bhuiyan, secretary general of the Bangladesh NAP, told The New Nation that alongside with the BNP, the alliance partners were also asked to be ready to take to the street defying any obstruction. Khaleda Zia and the alliance partners are adamant to hold the rally in the city, he said. The BNP-led alliance wants to observe January 5, the anniversary of the 10th Parliamentary polls, as ‘Democracy Killing Day’, while the ruling party Awami League is set to observe the day as ‘Victory Day for Democracy’.
