DHAKA: Citing ‘security reasons’, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) did not give permission to BNP for holding a rally in Suhrawardy Udyan of Dhaka on Monday (March 12). 

Earlier, the party sought permission to DMP for rally demanding the unconditional release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. 

DMP Ramna division deputy commissioner (DC) Maruf Hossain Sardar told Banglanews that BNP has not been given permission for rally due to security reasons. 

On Sunday afternoon at a press conference in BNP’s Naya Paltan party office, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said they have sought permission in due process but police did not give permission. 

Mentioning that all preparations for the rally have been completed already, he said, “If permission is denied then it would mean that democracy is suppressed by the men in power.”

On February 8, a Dhaka court sentenced five years imprisonment to BNP chief Khaleda Zia in a graft case and she was sent to jail following the verdict. 

Later BNP sought permission to hold rally several times but did not get permission from authority.

BDST: 2040 HRS, MAR 11, 2018
AP