BNP’s human chain Sunday, Awami League fears chaos

The BNP Saturday wrote to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, seeking security during the human chain.

With the BNP forming a human chain in Dhaka over the enforced disappearance and murder of the party leaders and activists, the Awami League has vowed to “remain vigilant to avoid any chaos” by the opposition party.  

The human chain is scheduled to be formed at 11am in front of the National Press Club, where top BNP leaders and family members of the victims will take part, among others.

After the 28 October Naya Paltan mass rally, this will be the biggest mass gathering of the party. 

It comes in observance of International Human Rights Day. 

The BNP Saturday wrote to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, seeking security during the human chain.

The party announced the programme on December 4.   

Sources in the party said many leaders and activists who went into hiding after the October 28 violence are likely to join the event. 

This will help bolster their anti-government movement, they added.

However, they did not disclose how many key leaders will attend the human chain. 

The BNP’s political allies, too, will form human chains and hold rallies marking the day.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said that the BNP wants to carry out terrorist activities on the pretext of programmes marking International Human Rights Day.

He was addressing the press at the party president’s political office in Dhanmondi.

Quader urged the people as well as his party men to remain alert against any possible terrorist activities of the BNP.

Conspiracies are being hatched at home and abroad centering around the forthcoming national polls scheduled for January 7, he said, adding even evil efforts are on to create a famine in the country. 

“But the Awami League is not anxious at all as the party has the political strength and steadfastness to face any such conspiracy,” he said.

As both the ruling party and the BNP earlier this month vowed to hold rallies marking the day, the Election Commission (EC) said any political party will have to take its permission. 

The commission denied permission to the Awami League for its outdoor rally, while the BNP did not even approach the EC.  

The Awami League will hold a rally at the Shikpakala Academy, instead.