Move to 'foil' Dhaka rally triggers protests in dists
The Awami League-led 14-party alliance organised the protest programmes.
The BNP-Jamaat government's brazen move to foil the opposition rally has further isolated it from the people and will hasten its fall, local alliance leaders said at protest rallies.
Besides the wildcat transport strike called by the pro-government transport workers union, police in districts also harassed opposition leaders and workers and obstructed them from going to Dhaka, speakers at the rallies alleged.
Our Tangail Correspondent reports: The 14-party alliance at a rally in the town yesterday declared Habibar Rahman Khan, general secretary of pro-government Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation (BRTWF) and his son State Minister for NGO Affairs Lutfar Rahman Khan "unwanted" in Tangail district. Lutfar Rahman Khan is also minister-in-charge for Tangail.
The decision was taken to protest the alleged move by the government and the ruling party's front organisation in transport sector to foil the opposition grand rally in Dhaka yesterday.
They said the BNP-Jamaat government foiled the grand rally as they are increasingly becoming isolated from people.
Our Rangamati Correspondent reports: Awami League (AL) and its allies yesterday brought out a procession in the town and held a rally in protest against the move allegedly by police and ruling party activists to prevent opposition activists from joining the rally at Paltan Maidan in Dhaka.
The procession started from the Municipality office and terminated in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office where the rally was held.
Police Superintendent Shekh Md. Maroof Hassan asked them Sunday night not to join the Dhaka rally and arrested four of their leaders and activists, they alleged.
Police arrested Bangladesh Chhatra League activists Ranjan Tripura, Monirul Alam Swajon and Amit Tripura and Jubo League leader Ronel Tripura Sunday night under Section 54 and raided residences of at least 20 others to prevent them from joining the grand rally in Dhaka.
Our Nilphamari Correspondent rep[orts: Awami League brought out a big protest procession and held a rally at the Smriti Amlan (a memorial) in the town yesterday.
The organisers claimed that about 20,000 opposition workers and supporters were ready to go to Dhaka from Nilphamari to attend the rally at Paltan Maidan. About 100 buses and trucks were hired, but the government-sponsored transport foiled their move.
There were great enthusiasm among people to attend the grand rally as they want to get rid of the government's misrule.
The government became scared at the people's response. So, finding no way, the government backed transport workers union called the countrywide transport strike to foil the rally, they said.
They said several thousand people rushed to Domar, Nilphamari and Saidpur railway stations to avail trains for Dhaka.
Ruling party men attacked them there while police remained silent onlookers, they alleged.
They called upon the people to prepare for tougher agitation programmes including hartal to dislodge the government.
Our Netrakona Correspondent reports: Netrakona district Awami League brought out a procession and held a rally in the town protesting the government's move to foil its grand rally in Dhaka.
The transport strike was called only to foil the rally, they said at the rally held at the Shaheed Miner after the procession. People from all walks of life attended the opposition programmes.
Speakers at the rally called upon the people to observe hartal to dislodge the government.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Our Gaibandha Correspondent reports: The 14-party opposition alliance marched streets and held a rally in the town protesting the government's evil move to thwart its grand rally in Dhaka.
The wildcat transport strike called by the pro-government transport workers union only proves that the government has become unnerved at people's spontaneous response to opposition oust-government programmes, speakers said at the rally held on the Shaheed Minar premises.
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