BNP can't hold tomorrow’s rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, Nayapaltan: DMP

Dhaka Metropolitan Police has denied BNP permission to hold the party's rally in the capital's Nayapaltan and Suhrawardy Udyan tomorrow as it is a working day, the DMP commissioner said today.

Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq told The Daily Star that they will offer BNP the use of Golapbagh field for the party's rally, and would grant permission if the party was willing to hold the rally there.

Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie, BNP's publicity affairs secretary, told The Daily Star that they did not receive any such communication from the DMP.

Earlier in the day, the DMP commissioner said political parties should hold rallies on weekdays in the future to reduce public sufferings, and that DMP may be forced to ban political rallies if those result in public sufferings. 

Asked about the reason not to allow BNP to hold the rally inside the Suhrawardy Udyan compound, which would take the mass gathering away from the city streets, Khandker said the Supreme Court had asked DMP not to allow rallies there during court hours. 

More to follow…