BNP wings’ march vows to protect sovereignty
Staff Correspondent 11 December, 2024, 10:20
Left, leaders and activists of three associate bodies of Bangladesh Nationalist Party attend a rally at Paltan in the capital before bringing out a long march towards Akhaura, close to India’s Agartala, protesting at the attack on a Bangladesh mission in India, and, right, members of Border Guard Bangladesh march in Akhaura Land Port area to keep law and order situation under control centring the long march from Dhaka on Wednesday. | Md Saurav / Focus Bangla photo
The long March by the associate bodies of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party towards India’s Agartala from Dhaka protesting at the attack on the Bangladesh mission in Agartala ended at the Akhaura land port in a rally on Wednesday.
The concluding rally, jointly organised by BNP’s three associate bodies— Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, and Chhatra Dal—was held in the afternoon on the day just about 250 metres away from the Bangladesh-India Operation Zero Line. Speakers at the event slammed the attack on Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala state and desecration of Bangladesh’s national flag.
Both the Indian and Bangladesh authorities tightened security measures over the long march with a huge number of Border Guard Bangladesh and police personnel in uniform and plainclothes deployed in the border areas to prevent any untoward situation, according to New Age correspondent in Brahmanbaria and the Indian media.
Retired police officials, meanwhile, brought out a protest procession and held a rally in front of the National Press Club in the capital on the day, protesting at India’s dominance and aggression in Bangladesh.
Leaders and activists of BNP’s associated bodies in many places, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Narsingdi and Narayanganj, joined the long march with over 2,000 microbuses and private cars.
After holding a short rally in front of the BNP’s central office in the capital’s Naya Paltan, the march began at about 9:10am and reached Akhaura land port via Motijheel, Mayor Hanif Flyover, Chittagong Road, Kanchpur, Tarabo, Madhabdi, Pachdona, Bholanagar, Marjal, Baroicha and Bhairab.
‘I strongly condemn the attack on Bangladesh mission in Agartala as the Indian authority failed to provide security,’ Juba Dal president Abdul Monayem Munna said, addressing the rally as chief guest at Akhaura land port.
He said that the country’s people would not compromise under the leadership of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman in the question of national sovereignty.
He also condemned the Indian government saying that it had patronised fascist Sheikh Hasina in the past over 15 years and the same government was also hatching a conspiracy against Bangladesh.
Protests spread in Dhaka as elsewhere across the country hours after the Bangladesh mission in Agartala came under attack by a group of Indians on December 2 during their protests, demanding the release of Hindu community leader in Bangladesh Chinmoy Krishna Das, now in jail in a sedition case.
The BNP bodies also held a rally at Bhairab before going to Akhaura land port while leaders and activists joined the long march in throughout the journey.
Addressing a short rally as the chief guest while inaugurating the long march in Dhaka, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvy said that India was trying to sustain the ‘lady vampire’, apparently speaking about the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
‘We have bought the independence with blood sacrifice. We will not surrender our independence to India,’ he said.
He said that although India was a democratic country, it did not want democracy in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
‘Delhi wants to control the neighbouring countries,’ he added.
Bangladesh Retired Police Officers’ Welfare Association brings out a procession, protesting at Indian aggression, on Topkhana Road in Dhaka on Wednesday. — New Age photo
The traffic around Nayapaltan remained halted for about two hours since 7:45am due to presence of several thousand leaders and activists of the party’s associate bodies.
BNP associate bodies started gathering at Naya Paltan with small processions since 7:00am.
Chairing the rally, Chhatra Dal president Rakibul Islam Rakib said that India kept continuing its conspiracies after Sheikh Hasina fled there on August 5 driven by a student-led mass uprising.
Juba Dal general secretary Nurul Islam Noyon said that his organisation was ready to resist India’s conspiracy.
Speakers also slammed Indian media outlets for spreading rumours about Bangladesh.
At the rally organised by the Bangladesh Retired Police Officers’ Welfare Association, speakers said that India supported the fascist Awami League regime to take economic and political advantages and stood against the people of Bangladesh by providing shelter to fallen Hasina.
Retired inspector general of police AKM Shahidul Haque said that Indian dominance and aggression would not be tolerated.
‘We know how to fight for independence and sovereignty,’ said Shahidul.
The organisation’s acting president and retired deputy inspector general of police M Akbar Ali said that the people of Bangladesh had not fought in the War of Independence to serve Indian interests.
The protest procession began in front of the Rajarbagh Police Lines marched to the National Press Club parading through Shantinagar, Kakrail and Segunbagicha. The programme concluded with handing over a memorandum to the foreign ministry.
Besides, Jatiya Ganotantrik Party also organised a protest rally in front of the National Press Club slamming India’s malicious activities against Bangladesh.