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BNP demonstrates to protest “repression” on journalists;No govt escaped resorting to repression, this one won’t do either: Dr Mosharraf
Dhaka, June 20 (UNB) - Opposition BNP staged heavy showdown in capital Dhaka today (Sunday) protesting the government “repression on journalist and control over press” that ultimately turned into a victory procession of Chittagong City Corporation elections.
The party held a brief rally at Muktangan and later brought out a procession as part of the countrywide demonstration, also demanding trial of the killing of journalists and protesting shutdown of private TV Channel 1 and daily Amar Desh, and arrest of and torture on Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman.
After June 9 mass sit-in in the capital, this was the second anti-government agitation under the 3-day progrmme including June 27 countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal called by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from May 19 grand rally from Paltan Maidan.
The demonstration was scheduled to be held on June 17 but it was shifted to June 20 (Sunday) due to Chittagong City Corporation polls on the day (June 17).
The day’s rally cum protest procession in the afternoon turned into a lively huge assembly of leaders and workers of BNP and its front and associate organizations.
It seems the landslide victory of BNP-backed mayor candidate Manjur Alam Manju in CCC election on June 17 defeating the ruling Awami League supported candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury stimulated the party faithful to join the event in a bigger scale.
The rally was marked by festivity and a mood of movement among the participants.
Leaders of BNP and its front and associate organizations present at the rally and who joined the procession included Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Sadeq Hossain Khoka, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Shamsuzzman Dudu, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie MP, Abul Khayer Bhuiyan MP, Nazimuddin Alam, Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Abdus Salam, Fazlul Huq Milon, Babul Ahmed, Saiful Alam Nirob, Abdul Malek and Rafiq Sikder.
Addressing the brief rally as chief guest, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the ruling Awami League like its post-independence rule is governing the country in one-party BAKSAL style by unleashing repression on journalists and opposition.
He cautioned that no government in the past could escape by carrying out repression and the present “autocratic” government would have to face the same fate.
Dr Mosharraf called upon all to take preparations to join the movement to overthrow the “autocratic” government
He demanded immediate re-opening of Channel 1 and daily Amar Desh and release of its acting editor Mahmudur Rahman.
The BNP standing committee member also called upon all to make a success of the daylong hartal countrywide on June 27.
BNP called the hartal over a host of issues and demands like ensuring supply of gas, electricity and water, containing price-hike of essentials, and protesting extortion, grabbing and tender manipulation by the ruling party terrorists as well as scrapping the anti-nation agreements signed with India.
Presiding over the brief rally BNP vice-chairman and city mayor Sadeq Hossain Khoka said that following the victory of the BNP-backed mayoral candidate in the CCC polls, the victorious journey of BNP has now begun across the country.
He said the day is not far when BNP under the leadership Khaleda Zia would assume power to run the country for the welfare and development of the country and its people.
Former Dhaka city BNP president Khoka urged the party’s rank and file to work together to implement the future programmes of anti-government movement.
Later at 4:50 pm, a protest procession led by the BNP senior leaders including Dr Khandaker Moshrraf Hossain was brought out from Muktangan. The procession passed through different streets touching Purana Paltan, Bijoynagar, Kakrail, Shantinagar and Malibagh-Mouchak, and later ended peacefully at Moghbazar around 5:35 pm.
The participants in the procession chanted slogans mainly campaigning for the June 27 hartal and against the government’s “repression” on press.
The party held a brief rally at Muktangan and later brought out a procession as part of the countrywide demonstration, also demanding trial of the killing of journalists and protesting shutdown of private TV Channel 1 and daily Amar Desh, and arrest of and torture on Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman.
After June 9 mass sit-in in the capital, this was the second anti-government agitation under the 3-day progrmme including June 27 countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal called by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from May 19 grand rally from Paltan Maidan.
The demonstration was scheduled to be held on June 17 but it was shifted to June 20 (Sunday) due to Chittagong City Corporation polls on the day (June 17).
The day’s rally cum protest procession in the afternoon turned into a lively huge assembly of leaders and workers of BNP and its front and associate organizations.
It seems the landslide victory of BNP-backed mayor candidate Manjur Alam Manju in CCC election on June 17 defeating the ruling Awami League supported candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury stimulated the party faithful to join the event in a bigger scale.
The rally was marked by festivity and a mood of movement among the participants.
Leaders of BNP and its front and associate organizations present at the rally and who joined the procession included Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Sadeq Hossain Khoka, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Shamsuzzman Dudu, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie MP, Abul Khayer Bhuiyan MP, Nazimuddin Alam, Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Abdus Salam, Fazlul Huq Milon, Babul Ahmed, Saiful Alam Nirob, Abdul Malek and Rafiq Sikder.
Addressing the brief rally as chief guest, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the ruling Awami League like its post-independence rule is governing the country in one-party BAKSAL style by unleashing repression on journalists and opposition.
He cautioned that no government in the past could escape by carrying out repression and the present “autocratic” government would have to face the same fate.
Dr Mosharraf called upon all to take preparations to join the movement to overthrow the “autocratic” government
He demanded immediate re-opening of Channel 1 and daily Amar Desh and release of its acting editor Mahmudur Rahman.
The BNP standing committee member also called upon all to make a success of the daylong hartal countrywide on June 27.
BNP called the hartal over a host of issues and demands like ensuring supply of gas, electricity and water, containing price-hike of essentials, and protesting extortion, grabbing and tender manipulation by the ruling party terrorists as well as scrapping the anti-nation agreements signed with India.
Presiding over the brief rally BNP vice-chairman and city mayor Sadeq Hossain Khoka said that following the victory of the BNP-backed mayoral candidate in the CCC polls, the victorious journey of BNP has now begun across the country.
He said the day is not far when BNP under the leadership Khaleda Zia would assume power to run the country for the welfare and development of the country and its people.
Former Dhaka city BNP president Khoka urged the party’s rank and file to work together to implement the future programmes of anti-government movement.
Later at 4:50 pm, a protest procession led by the BNP senior leaders including Dr Khandaker Moshrraf Hossain was brought out from Muktangan. The procession passed through different streets touching Purana Paltan, Bijoynagar, Kakrail, Shantinagar and Malibagh-Mouchak, and later ended peacefully at Moghbazar around 5:35 pm.
The participants in the procession chanted slogans mainly campaigning for the June 27 hartal and against the government’s “repression” on press.