Awami League-BNP face off in Sylhet
After five years, two major political parties of the country, Awami League and BNP, are coming to the streets on Saturday (February 4) with separate programs in Sylhet city. After a long break, the political arena is likely to heat up as the two parties face each other again.
According to BNP sources, BNP announced a rally in all the divisional cities including Sylhet last January on the 10-point demand. Accordingly, this rally will start at Sylhet Registry Ground at 2 pm on Saturday.
BNP National Standing Committee member and former minister Begum Selima Rahman will be present as the chief guest. On the other hand, on the same day, Awami League announced a 'peace rally' in Sylhet at the same ground. But later the location was changed and taken to Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar premises. This rally will start at 3 pm on Saturday.
When asked about this, acting president of Sylhet district Awami League Shafikur Rahman Chowdhury told the media that we are always in favor of peace. So even though we had our program at the registry ground, we changed the venue and organized the peace rally at Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar. Because we believe in peace, we do not believe in gun barrels. We are in favor of political coexistence. So we have graciously changed the venue of our program. Now if BNP does not create chaos, our peace rally will end peacefully.
However, the responsible leaders of the two parties are dismissing this fear. They say, the politics of Sylhet is the politics of harmony. There is rivalry but no revenge.
Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury also told the media in the same tone, we want to hold a peaceful rally. I want to continue the non-violent movement. I have also told the leaders and activists, so that they do not get involved in any kind of chaos. If there is an attempt to disrupt the assembly, it will be resisted by the people. In the past, there was no conflict between BNP and Awami League over the rally, it will not happen again this time. Because Sylhet is a city of peace.
It is learned that even though the leaders talk about harmony, the law and order forces are on high alert regarding the programs of both the parties. They have strengthened the security system of Sylhet more than other days. The rally of both parties Around the rally of both parties, more than 300 policemen are stationed in the field with armored vehicles.
When asked about the rally of the two parties, Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Sudeep Das said that police are deployed at all corners of the city to prevent any kind of chaos and unpleasant incidents around the rally of the two parties today. Checkpoints have been set up at the entrances of the city. Police will be on high alert during the rally. Police are always on alert to avoid any untoward incident.
Awami League and BNP last faced each other on the streets of Sylhet on February 8, 2018. On that day, around Khaleda Zia's verdict, there was an hour-long clash between the leaders and activists of the two parties in the Court Point area of the city, many were injured.
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