Staff Correspondent

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq said on Wednesday legal steps will be taken if anyone tries to hold public gathering or public rally on city-streets ignoring directions regarding it.

"Public gathering will not be allowed to avoid public nuisance and ensure their safety. Legal action will be taken if any attempt is done forcibly to hold public-rally disobeying of the order," he said.

He said this at an emergency press conference at DMP Media Center here this evening regarding the security of BNP's public rally.

The commissioner said the permission has been granted to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan as per the request from the BNP for its Dhaka divisional public rally on Saturday (December 10).

But instead of Suhrawardy Udyan, they want to hold rally in city's Naya Paltan or its surrounding streets which might create disorder, he added.

Highlighting the cons of holding rally in these areas, he said Lakhs of people are expected to attend this divisional rally of BNP but the street in front of BNP's party office has a capacity of 10 to 15 thousand people.

The rest of the people will remain scattered on different roads there, he continued.

"As a result, BNP leaders and activists and police will have no control on it. Thus, the public safety will be disrupted and serious public suffering will be created," he said.

He urged BNP to hold rally at Suhrawardy Udyan or Tongi Ejtema Ground, Kalshi Ground or Purbachal International Trade Fair Ground for better security purpose.

Noting that several rallies of BNP and Awami League have been held in Suhrawardy Udyan before, he said. But now, if public suffering and public safety are disturbed by public gathering on the streets, DMP will take legal action according to the existing law, he added.

He also said: "We believe that BNP will do its activities (political) under the purview of the law as it has the right to do politics."
He assured BNP of providing all kinds of cooperation from law enforcers if leaders and activist hold rally peacefully.

Regarding today's chasing incident between the followers of BNP and law enforcers in Nayapaltan, he said law enforcers removed them from the road for the sake of public safety as they blocked the road without taking any permission in the working day.

Besides, they attacked policemen without any instigation. Later, police tried to make the situation quell, he said, adding that several police personnel also received injury in the incident.