Tarique Rahman can’t address BNP rally as DMP bans speech from anyone convicted

July 31, 2023 11:10 am

Dhaka: Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) finally gave nod to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party for holding their protest rally at Suhrawardy Uddyan today on condition that there will be no speeches by any convict.

Tarique Rahman addressed the BNP grand rally on Friday (28 July) despite a High Court ban on publicising, broadcasting or reproducing Tarique’s speeches in newspapers, electronic media and social media.

Three new conditions have been imposed along with the previous 23 conditions which were imposed on BNP’s 15 July rally.

Syed Mamun Mostafa, special assistant to DMP Commissioner told TBS, “We have added three more conditions including embargo on convicted person’s speech and limiting sound towards High Court premises.”

DMP Joint Commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarker said, “We gave permission [to hold rallies] whenever they applied it. We only withheld permission if we had intelligence of any negative endevour. This time permission was given on condition that they would not broadcast or publish any speech of any convicted person,” he added.

Another police official also said at least 1,100 policemen are deployed at Suhrawardy and its surrounding areas.

The BNP is holding the rally in protest of the alleged attacks on party leaders and activists.

Previously, the DMP gave permission for BNP’s rally at Nayapaltan on 15 July, subject to 23 conditions.

Earlier on Sunday, the party informed the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) of its decision to hold a rally in front of the party office in Nayapaltan, scheduled for Monday (31 July).

Rizvi further said, “We wanted to hold the rally in Nayapaltan, but after a discussion, it was decided to hold it in Suhrawardy Udyan instead.”

Earlier on 28 July, BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas said the party will no longer seek police permission for holding political programmes.

The BNP leader emphasised that they only informed authorities about their event and will no longer ask for approval.

Meanwhile, DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq said on Sunday that the BNP will not be allowed on the streets by any means if the party does not receive permission to hold nationwide rallies on Monday.

In 2018, 14 years after the August 21 grenade attack on the Awami League rally in the capital in 2004, Tarique Rahman was sentenced to life imprisonment in two cases.

Tarique Rahman was convicted more than 19 cases including extortion, money laundering, defamation, sedition, Zia Orphanage Graft case.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman are convicted in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission on 26 September 2007 accusing Tarique Rahman, Zubaida and her mother Iqbal Mand Banu for amassing illegal wealth worth Tk4.81 crore and concealing the information.

In 2018, 14 years after the August 21 grenade attack on the Awami League rally in the capital in 2004, Tarique Rahman was sentenced to life imprisonment in two cases.