JP, student group call off Kakrail rallies

The Jatiyo Party yesterday postponed a rally scheduled for today outside the party’s central office at Kakrail in the capital.
The decision came around two hours after Dhaka Metropolitan Police prohibited all meetings, gatherings, processions, and demonstrations at the party’s headquarters and surrounding areas for today to prevent a face-off between the party and “Anti-fascist students, workers, and masses”.
In a press release last night, JP said it called off today’s programme respecting the law. Fresh programmes will be announced later.
The DMP made the decision under section 29 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance to address the situation and maintain public order, said a notice.
The rally was slated to be held at 11:00am.
Meanwhile, “Anti-fascist students, workers, and masses”, a  platform comprising mostly the leaders and activists backed by Nurul  Haque Nur’s Gono Odhikar Parishad, also declared that they would hold counter  rallies.
However, they changed their decision following DMP’s restriction.
Talking to The Daily Star last night, Bin Yamin Molla, president of the Dhaka University chapter of Gono Odhikar Parishad, said they welcomed the  decision of DMP and would gather at the foot of the Raju Memorial  Sculpture around 11:00am today and decide the next course of action.
Earlier in the day, JP Chairman GM Quader said despite the risks of a confrontation, they would continue protesting “injustice and discrimination”.
The party would hold the rally in the Kakrail area protesting the filing of cases against JP leaders and the price hike of essentials, he told a press conference at the party chairman’s office in Banani.
Yamin of Gono Odhikar Parishad also said they would hold “mass resistance rallies” in front of JP offices across the country at 11:00am.
Speaking at a press conference at the Dhaka University’s Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), he said they would not allow the JP to hold political programmes.
Describing the JP as an ally of the Awami League, which he accused of mass killings during the July uprising, Yamin demanded that the government ban the JP, arrest its leaders, and bring them to justice for backing the AL.
On Thursday evening, a group of people marching under the banner of “Anti-fascist students, workers, and masses” vandalised and set fire to the ground floor of the five-storey building housing JP’s central office in Kakrail.
JP leaders stated that the party’s leaders and activists were holding a preparatory meeting for today’s rally at the time.
No case was filed until the filing of this report around 7:30pm, said Payel Hossain, inspector (investigation) of Ramna Police Station.
‘WE’VE COMMITTED NO CRIME’

Condemning Thursday’s incident, GM Quader said, “Do not be afraid, stay where you are. We are ready to die if necessary. Let’s see how many people they are willing to kill. Remember, Islam teaches us to stand against injustice. If you cannot protest with your hands, speak up. We are ready to give our lives for this.”
Referring to recent events, he said, “We’ve committed no crime. We are being forced into a criminal role for reasons unknown to us.”
“We are labelled as associates of the Awami League, but there is no justification for that,” he said, describing the JP’s role from the 9th parliamentary elections in 2008 to the 12th parliamentary elections in 2024.
He expressed disappointment at the country’s current state, saying, “The nation seems divided. It feels like a certain group has taken over the country. We supported them, as did the ordinary people, but now it seems they don’t recognise that support.”
“They are dividing the country… similar to the divisions created under our previous leader [Sheikh Hasina].”
Expressing disappointment with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus’ role, GM Quader said, “Our chief adviser, a highly respected figure whom we consider a guardian of the nation, has remained silent despite allegations against us from his closest people. This is deeply unfortunate for us.”
Meanwhile, JP’s former lawmaker Shameem Haider Patwary visited the party office yesterday afternoon.
He said no one has the right to snatch away their rights as they are a registered political party and have the freedom to hold assembly as per the constitution.
“People did not burn our office. A quarter with vested interests who were angry at us previously set fire here last night,” he told reporters.
“There is no state of emergency imposed, and the constitution is not suspended. So, no one has the right to snatch away our constitutional rights. Some people obstructed us illegally and burnt our party office. The state and the government are responsible for it.”
THE BURNT OFFICE

During a visit to the office yesterday, The Daily Star found that the ground floor of the five-storey building was burnt, and other floors were ransacked.
At least four witnesses told this correspondent that when a group of people were vandalising and setting fire to the office on Thursday evening, some police personnel were standing near the office, but they did not take any steps.