Police foil programme of pro-BNP professionals

Police yesterday foiled a discussion of pro-BNP agriculturists in the capital as the organisers did not take prior permission from the law enforcers.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was scheduled to attend the programme as the chief guest.

Agriculturists Association of Bangladesh (AAB) arranged the discussion programme marking the Independence Day at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) at 3:00pm.

Witnesses said the police took position in front of the KIB around 2:00pm and obstructed the organisers from holding the programme.

Fakhrul, however, did not go to the programme venue.

Contacted, AAB Member Secretary Hasan Zafir Tuhin said the police barred them from holding the programme though they had taken permission from the venue authorities.

"We booked the 3D seminar hall of the Krishibid Institution for our programme. But police told us that we could not hold any programme with the BNP secretary general there. They told us to talk to their higher authorities," said Tuhin.  

He claimed no-one had ever taken permission from the police to arrange such programmes at the KIB.

Mamun Shah, assistant sub-inspector of Tejgaon police, told reporters that he had gone there as part of his duty and claimed he did not know anything regarding the matter.

Contacted, Officer-in-charge of Tejgaon police Mazharul Islam said the organisation did not even inform them, let alone taking permission for holding the programme.

BNP PROTESTS KHALEDA'S ARREST WARRANT

The party will stage demonstrations across the country tomorrow in protest against an arrest warrant issued against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Rizvi Ahmed, senior joint secretary general of BNP, announced the programme during a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan headquarters yesterday.

The party will stage demonstrations at all districts and cities, he added.

A Dhaka court on Wednesday issued the arrest warrant against Khaleda and 27 others in connection with a case filed for an arson attack on a passenger bus in the capital's Jatrabari in January last year.

Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah of the Court of Metropolitan Sessions Judge passed the order after accepting charges against 38 people, including the 28.

One person was killed and 30 others were injured in the attack on January 23, one of many bomb attacks the country had witnessed during the BNP-led 20-party alliance's three months' blockade.