A huge number of bombs and firearms have been recovered from BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on Wednesday and three persons including BNP senior joint secretary Rezvi Ahmed, were arrested from the party office.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner Biplab Kumar Sarkar gave this information while talking to reporters in Nayapaltan on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandkar Golam Farooq on Wednesday said that police conducted raid at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office getting secret information that BNP has stored a huge number of firearms and cocktails there for sabotage.
They were gathering in front of party office without prior permission.
He said this while addressing an emergency press conference on the security of the BNP's upcoming Dhaka Divisional grand rally at the DMP Media Centre in the capital Dhaka.
The DMP Commissioner said, “We are hearing that there have been many cocktail explosions from the BNP office. I have also heard that firearms, cocktails and sticks have been stored there. We have increased the number police force there for the sake of security.”
It is not desirable to block the road on such a day and disrupt traffic, he stated.
When asked whether anyone died in the clash between BNP and police in front of the BNP office, the DMP commissioner said, “We have not been able to confirm such information yet. I was in a meeting. As far as I know, their rally is on December 10. Today was an official day. On this day, they were occupying the Nayapaltan road and holding an illegal rally. It is not legal to gather on the road”.
When asked about police harassment, the commissioner said, “There was no such information. There are regular check posts. The reason is that we are conducting a special operation from December 1 ahead of upcoming big events like Victory Day. We have set up check posts as part of the security measures to prevent any kind of untoward incident and avert sabotage. We have not detained or stopped any passenger on their way to Dhaka”.
The DMP boss said, “BNP cannot be allowed to hold a public meeting in front of its Nayapaltan party office in view of public safety and public suffering. If the law is violated, legal action will be taken against BNP”, he warned.
Khandkar Ghulam Farooq said, “There will be no space for 10 lakh people in front of BNP office. A maximum of one lakh people can stand there. The remaining 9 lakh people will spread in different streets of Dhaka city. BNP will have no control over that. So, They will not be allowed to assemble at Nayapaltan to cause public suffering”.
“We have come to know through the intelligence agencies and the media that BNP can create an unstable situation in Dhaka city by gathering 10 lakh people in front of its Nayapaltan central office. So, they cannot be allowed there to create public suffering and deteriorate law and order in Dhaka. BNP can go to any open field or seek any other place. They were requested to choose Ijtema ground, where they can gather 10 lakh people. There is International Trade Fair ground in Purbachal, they can go there,” the DMP boss said.
The DMP boss further said, “This decision was taken for two reasons. The first reason is that there will no room to accommodate so many people in Nayapaltan. If they still gather there, the remaining 9 lakh people will be scattered in different places in the city on whom BNP and police will have no control. At the same time, if these 10 lakh people occupy all the roads of Dhaka, it will be a matter of extreme suffering for the people of Dhaka.”
“BNP was allowed to hold rally at Suhrawardy Udyan. Later, I came to know through the media that they were not interested in holding a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan. They are interested to hold rally on any road in or around Nayapaltan. In this context, the clear statement of DMP is that the rally should be held in Suhrawardy Udyan or any similar open ground. We have taken this decision to prioritise public welfare and ensure public safety”, the DMP boss added.