Security beefed up around Jatiyo Party's Kakrail office amid ban on rallies
"We strengthened security measures as a precaution even though Jatiyo Party already cancelled their programmes," said police
To prevent any potential face-off between the Jatiyo party and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement groups, security measures have been beefed up around the party's headquarters in Kakrail, where the party wanted to hold a rally on Saturday.
However, as the rally was later cancelled following a ban by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), there was still risks of confrontation.
"Jatiyo Party already cancelled their programmes following a ban on gatherings announced by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police [DMP] in the area. We still strengthened security as a precaution," said Pavel Hossain, inspector (investigation) of Ramna police station.
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Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ramna Division of DMP Masud Rana told the media that comprehensive security measures have been taken as any assembly or gatherings were banned in Kakrail and surrounding areas.
"Police have been deployed at various intersections while teams have been patrolling the area. Army is also patrolling the area. So, there is no lack of security there."
Earlier on Thursday night (31 October), the Kakrail office of the Jatiyo Party had been vandalised and torched, followed by an announcement that the party would be holding a rally on Saturday.
The next day (1 November), the Jatiyo Party called an emergency press briefing at its chairman's Banani office where party Chairman GM Quader announced holding the rally nonetheless.
"We will hold the rally on Saturday even if it costs us our lives… We will continue to fight for the betterment of the country, even if it kills us," he said.
Later in the evening, the DMP issued a public notice banning all public gatherings in the capital's Kakrail area on Saturday.
Afterwards, the Jatiyo Party postponed its plan to hold the rally in front of its central office stating that its decision was taken "respecting the law."
