The BNP doesn't seek permission to hold rallies, only inform the authorities as a courtesy, says its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
“Awami League (AL) leaders think themselves as master of the state. They want to keep everything under their control including actions of other parties,” he said on Tuesday (Nov 26).
His remarks came in response by his Awami League counterpart Obaidul Quader, who said on Monday (Nov 25) that the BNP "lacks capability or courage to hold rallies without seeking permission".
Speaking to the media in his hometown Thakurgaon, Mirza Fakhrul described leaders of the ruling Awami League as "troubled with mentality"
“Parties have right in line with the Constitution to hold demonstration, rally or meeting in a democratic state,” said the BNP secretary general.
The senior BNP leader also came down hard on the law enforcers for the delay in the clearance for the Nov 23 rally.
The BNP had announced a countrywide rally, including one in front of its headquarters in Dhaka, to press the demand for party chief Khaleda Zia’s release for Saturday (Nov 22).
The police, however, cleared the Dhaka rally for the next day.
Addressing the rally, Fakhrul said that the party will hold programmes without police permission.