Dhaka: BNP on Wednesday hoped that the government will show a positive and democratic attitude by allowing it to hold its 7 November rally peacefully.

Speaking at a press briefing, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, however, alleged that law enforcers have started raiding the houses of BNP leaders and activists ahead of their planned rally.

‘We’ve already sought permission from the authorities concerned to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on November 7. We hope we’ll get permission as the government still didn’t say anything negative about it. We expect the government will come up with a positive response to this end,’ he said.

Fakhrul further said, ‘We also hope the government won’t obstruct our all democratic programmes showing respect for democracy what they spoke at their council.’

The briefing was held at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office after a meeting of the party’s central leaders of Dhaka and its adjacent districts to make the rally a success.

On October 20, BNP announced a 10-day programme, including a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on November 7, to observe what it says ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’.

Some ruling party leaders, including its joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, at different programmes in the city said their party will not allow BNP to observe its November 7 programmes as thousands of members of army had been killed on the day in the name of so-called revolt by soldiers.

As his attention was drawn to the AL leaders’ comments, Fakhrul said they think those are their personal remarks, not their party’s or the government’s ones.

He said the government is trying to create obstacles to their programme. ‘The houses of our leaders and activists are being raided centring the rally. The government indulging in such activities as it doesn’t believe in democracy.’

The BNP leader hoped that the government will extend cooperation to them so that they can exercise their democratic rights.

He demanded the government also release their party’s central leaders, including Dhaka city unit BNP member secretary Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel, before November 7.

Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians on November 7, 1975 jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the path for Zia to come to power.

While BNP and its alliances celebrate 7 November as the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of ‘killing of freedom fighters.