BANGLADESH

Indian media has splashed news about the upcoming visit of Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia to New Delhi from Oct 28 as she embarks on a diplomatic exercise to strengthen relations with the neighbour of Bangladesh.

Popular Indian daily Hindustan Times published a news on Oct 23 saying, "With New Delhi leaving no stone unturned to maintain the momentum in bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh, India will be hosting Begum Khaleda Zia."

Khaldea will be leaving for New Delhi on Oct 28 for a seven-day trip at the invitation of the Indian government and is scheduled to meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress party President Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, among others.

Hindustan Times said it was part of the strategy of the Indian government to maintain good relations with all key stakeholders in Bangladesh.

Daily News & Analysis newspaper reported on Oct 24, "The visit comes with just over a year left for general elections in Bangladesh, and a sharp decline in the popularity ratings of ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina."

The paper said Teesta water sharing agreement and the Land Boundary Agreement were expected to take a major share of discussions.

Bangladesh and India failed to sign the Teesta interim agreement during the visit of Indian premier Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September last year due to strong opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Both countries signed the Land Boundary Agreement in 1974 and Bangladesh ratified it the same year but India is yet to ratify it making it ineffective as the deal stipulates that it would not be effective until both parties ratify it.

The Times of India under a headline of "India reaches out to Khaleda Zia ahead of Bangladesh polls" reported, "While the BNP has always been known for its anti-India stance, New Delhi knows that it is imperative to at least make an attempt to mend fences with her in the run-up to the general elections slated to be held next year."

"New Delhi added value to its relationship with Dhaka but it knows that ties with BNP are crucial to make this process irreversible."

The Statesman reported that "Ms Zia's party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has always been regarded as favouring Pakistan over India but sources in the government said that they are hoping that Ms Zia's visit will help change that perception and help India develop closer ties with the BNP."

Three times Prime Minister, Khaldea Zia visited China from Oct 14 to 20 at the invitation of Chinese Communist Party. During the visit, she met members of the Chinese leadership including Chinese Vice President Xi Jingpin and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

The opposition BNP has announced fresh agitation after the Eid-ul-Azha over the demand of elections under a non-party government.

"The people have turned their back on the government. They want change. They don't want to see this government again," BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan told a human chain programme in front of the National Press Club on Friday.

"A non-partisan government is needed so that the people can vote whoever they like," he said.

"We'll give momentum to our movement over the demand after the Eid. No election will be allowed without a non-party government," Khan added.

The human chain programme was organised by the Mohila Dal's Mohammadpur unit in the city in protest against the arrest of Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal chief Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal.

He termed the government 'a failure on all fronts' and said it had led to the country being labelled 'corrupt' in the global arena. The government itself was neck-deep in corruption, he added.

The BNP leader also termed 'most shameful' the visit of a World Bank panel to review Anti-Corruption Commission's investigations into the alleged corruption in the Padma bridge project.

A leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Wednesday expressed his conviction that relations between CPC and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would be further strengthened in the future.

Vice-Minister of CPC's International Department Chen Fengxiang expressed the firm belief at a formal meeting between the visiting BNP delegation, led by its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, at CPC International Department in Beijing.

Fengxiang agreed to Khaleda's suggestion that there should be more exchanges of visits and engagements between the representatives of the two parties at different levels.

Khaleda said Bangladeshis always considered China as a special friend. She recalled with gratitude the contributions China made to the economic and infrastructural development of Bangladesh and expressed confidence that it would be furthered.

The former Prime Minister reiterated that BNP believed in 'One-China' policy.

Vice-Minister Chen mentioned the contributions of Khaleda to consolidation of the bilateral relations, which were started by BNP founder late President Ziaur Rahman.

During the talks, Khaleda was accompanied, among others, by BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Mahbubur Rahman, party Vice-Chairpersons Selima Rahman and Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan.

The meeting was followed by an official lunch in honour of the visiting BNP delegation.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has called a press conference on Thursday afternoon for briefing the media about the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance's next course of action to press for a non-party caretaker poll-time government.

The press conference will be held at the Gulshan office of BNP chief, Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan said on Wednesday.

"The press conference has been scheduled for 4pm. The opposition leader will explain the stance BNP and the 18-Party Alliance have taken over the current political situation, especially for ensuring a fair and neutral election under a non-party caretaker government to protect the right to franchise of the people," Khan said.

The Supreme Court verdict rescinding the caretaker government system has left the politicians of Bangladesh divided.

Ever since the judgment was pronounced, the opposition has been demanding reinstatement of the non-partisan government arrangement. But the Awami League-led ruling Grand Alliance has been sticking to the idea that the judgment leaves no scope for reintroduction of the system.

The opposition leader is also expected to clarify her coalition's stance in the backdrop of release of the full judgment on Sep 16.

The apex court scrapped the caretaker government system on May 10 last year.

On Tuesday, the BNP decided to reject the full judgment at a meeting of the party's senior leaders.

Main opposition BNP has announced it will formulate a draft strategy to resolve the problems plaguing the power and energy sectors.

The party claimed that the strategy would also help reduce electricity tariff at the domestic consumer level when it is voted to power in the next parliamentary election.

BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and party's Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain came up with idea on Saturday at a roundtable on the power and energy crisis in the city.

Mosharraf said an anarchic situation had emerged in the power and energy sectors of the country due to the government's wrong and ill-motivated policies.

"To get rid of the situation, we've to formulate a strategy right now, so that we can work for development of the sectors from the very first day if we're voted to power in future."

He said that a national committee on energy would be formed soon comprising experts.

Fakhrul said, "We want to formulate such a sustainable energy strategy so that the countrymen can get its advantage. If the BNP comes to power in future, the electricity tariffs will be reduced at the domestic consumer level under the strategy."

Health Minister A F M Ruhal Haque will sit with aspiring medical students on Sunday 9:30am at his office to discuss the medical admission test issue.

Responding to a demand of the agitating students, the minister told bdnews24.com that he would discuss the matter with students at his office in the Secretariat.

Aspiring medical students began protesting the government decision to scrap medical and dental school admission test.

They have been demanding that the minister agree to sit with them and discuss the matter while the minister has been blaming the examinees' movement on coaching centres that risk losing substantial business.

Meeting with reporters at Dhaka Reporters' Unity, the health minister on Saturday said he was ready to talk, but had little to do as the issue went to the court. He urged them to withdraw the writ petitions and discuss the row with him.

Following his request, the protesting students said they would sit within 24 hours 'if time is given'.

The health minister told bdnews24.com in the evening that he would sit with them to discuss the issue. "I'll brief journalists after the meeting," he said.

Experts had earlier told bdnews24.com that such a rushed decision should be revised.

Opposition BNP also sided with the protesting students as they believed that only GPAs could not be the deciding factor for getting into university.

Altogether there are 8,493 seats in all medical and dental schools in Bangladesh.

The number is 2,811 in the 22 government medical colleges and 4,245 in the 53 private ones.

The nine public dental colleges and medical colleges' dental units have 567 seats while 14 private dental institutes have 870 seats.

Home Minister Shahara Khatun on Sunday said her government would not hesitate to go tough on opposition leaders when required and said the people were not afraid of BNP's threat of movement.

She made the comment at a discussion organised at Dhaka Reporters Unity by Dhaka Metropolitan Bangabandhu Academy marking the eighth death anniversary of senior Awami League leader Ivy Rahman.

Her remarks came hours ahead of opposition chief Khaeda Zia meeting policymakers of the BNP on Sunday night. The main opposition party has been threatening the government with launching tougher agitation after Eid-ul-Fitr and is expected to discuss the future course of anti-government movement at the meeting.

"The people of Bengal are not afraid of the BNP's threat. If necessary, they (the opposition protesters) would be resisted with a strong hand for ensuring progress of the country," she said.

"Nobody would be able to protect them (BNP leaders) when the people will file cases against BNP leaders and activists."

The ruling Awami League's Presidium Member also urged all to stand united so that the 'war criminals' could not fly national flag riding on the shoulders of the BNP.

"The evil powers that were at play on Aug 15 and Aug 21 of 1975 and 2004 respectively come from the same source," said Khatun.

Ivy Rahman was among the 24 killed in the Aug 21 attack on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue.

Main opposition BNP is preparing an outline of a non-party caretaker government based on the 13th Amendment of the Constitution to oversee the next general elections, a senior party leader said on Saturday.

The non-party caretaker government to oversee the national polls was annulled through the 15th amendment of the Constitution in June last year.

"The next general elections would have to be held under a non-party government. That's why we are preparing to present an outline for a non-party caretaker government based on the 13th amendment of the Constitution," Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed said.

He said the draft outline would be made public and they would ask the government to implement it.

Moudud's remarks came on Saturday while he was speaking at a discussion at the National Press Club at the capital amidst row between the ruling coalition and the opposition over poll-time government.

The party decided to prepare the draft outline of non-party government on Jul 2 at the National Standing Committee meeting presided over by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Several newspapers had published reports, but Moudud is the first one from BNP to make any official comment on the issue.

BNP has been protesting against the scrapping of the non-party caretaker government provision and demanding its reinstatement. Even, BNP chief Khaleda Zia has ruled out Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent idea of an all-party poll-time government. But the Awami League led by Hasina is adverse to the idea of handing over power to an unelected administration.

Moudud on Saturday said, "Everyone lost faith on the present government for their actions. They have made the administration into a partisan one in such a way that it would not be possible to hold fair polls under this administration."

"That's why we have raised the demand for a non-party government," he added.

He said only a non-party government would not serve the purpose. "The whole administration must be changed. Unbiased officials have to be posted in the field level administration by changing the partisan DCs-SPs-UNOs-OCs."

Giving reasons for rejecting the Prime Minister's proposal to join the all-party interim government, the former law minister said, "To overcome the political crisis in 1996 former Australian Governor General Sir Ninian Stephen had proposed to form an interim government drawing five members each from the two parties and led by then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Why Sheikh Hasina did rejected the idea then?"

"This party [Awami League] has no principle. They led demonstrations in 1996 demanding the caretaker government. They observed 173 days of general strike. And then they scrapped the system and added the provision to hold the elections under a partisan government," he added.

Even if an interim government was formed under the incumbent Prime Minister, it would not be possible to hold fair elections, Moudud claimed adding that BNP would go for tougher agitations to realise their demand non-party caretaker government after the Eid-ul-Fitr.

The Awami League is ready for talks with the opposition should it respond positively to the Prime Minister's proposal on poll-time interim government, the party's spokesman has said.

"We hope they (BNP) will respond positively to the Prime Minister's proposal she made during an interview with the BBC recently," Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said at 'Meet the Reporters' organised by the Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Saturday.

In the wake of the BNP's repeated demand for restoration of the caretaker government system, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had said in the interview that the opposition BNP could join the interim cabinet to be constituted ahead of the next parliamentary polls. She had expressed her unwillingness to hand over state affairs to an unelected government.

But BNP chief Khaleda Zia rejected outright the proposal saying that the next polls must be held under a non-party caretaker government.

Hanif said he was not frustrated at the rejection of the proposal. "We, the politicians, often take many decisions and change the decisions realising the reality. There is no final word in politics."

The chances of making a formal proposal for talks by the ruling party to the opposition were thin if it did not budge from its stance of not taking part in the elections without restoration of the caretaker government system, he said.

"We will take an initiative for talks to set the framework of the poll-time interim cabinet if the opposition responds positively to the Prime Minister's proposal," he added.

Hanif urged the BNP to join the House and place their proposal on the formation of the interim government, if they had any.

Also a special assistant to the Prime Minister, Hanif said that the opposition party had been invited several times during the latest constitutional amendment. "But they didn't respond and are pushing the country to unrest by waging movements."

On the issue of Dr Muhammad Yunus' reaction to the cabinet decision on Grameen Bank, Hanif said the government had taken the decision to inform people of the facts about Grammen Bank, not to destroy it. "Dr Yunus is not above the law of the country though he is a Nobel laureate!"

BNP Vice Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka got bail on Thursday after surrendering to a Dhaka court in a shutdown violence case.

Returning from Singapore after treatment on Wednesday night, the former Dhaka mayor appeared before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court Thursday morning and appealed for bail.

Judge Harun-or-Rashid granted the appeal after hearing.

The Speedy Trial Tribunal of Dhaka on Tuesday framed charges against Khoka and 45 others, including BNP Acting Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a case filed over torching a vehicle in front of the Prime Minister's Office during shutdown on Apr 29.

The tribunal issued arrest warrant against Khoka and two others accused in the case, as they did not appear before it on that day.

During Thursday's hearing, Khoka's lawyer Mohammad Borhanuddin told the court that the BNP leader went to Singapore for kidney treatment on Jun 27 after being freed on bail granted by the High Court. He came to know about the warrant after returning on Wednesday night, he added.

The lawyer appealed to continue his bail as he went abroad with permission of the High Court.

BNP had enforced the general strike on Apr 29 demanding 'whereabouts' of one of its organising secretaries M Ilias Ali, who went missing on Apr 17 midnight.

The High Court on Sunday asked the government to explain why the indemnity from prosecution for the military officers and other law-enforcing personnel in the 'Operation Clean Heart' during the BNP-led government would not be declared illegal.

The bench of justices Mirza Hussain Haider and Kazi Mohammad Ejarul Haque Akondo also demanded why the indemnity law over the joint operation conducted by the armed forces, police and paramilitary forces would not be declared to be in conflict with the Constitution.

Z I Khan Panna, chief of the outgoing Bangladesh Bar Council's Human Rights and Legal Assistance Affairs, filed the writ petition.

The High Court ruling came around a decade after the operation was initiated. Advocate Shahdin Malik argued for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Al Amin Sarkar represented the state at the hearing.

Top bureaucrats of the law, home and defence ministries, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Inspector General of Police have been directed to reply to the rule within six weeks.

The High Court also sought to know why a Tk 1 billion fund will not be raised to compensate those harmed during the operation.

Soon after the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami coalition government took office, the military ran 'Operation Clean Heart' from Oct 16, 2002 to Jan 9, 2003 to 'restore' law and order.

Many people died during the operation slated by rights groups but the authorities claimed the deaths were due to 'heart attacks'.

Then the BNP-led coalition government claimed the operation was conducted to check terrorism, while chief opposition Awami League alleged it was to annihilate the opposition leaders and supporters.

According to New York-based Human Rights Watch, 60 people were killed during the operation. Then government admitted that 12 of the detained people died of 'heart attack'.

On Feb 24, 2003, the BNP-Jamaat government passed a law, providing indemnity to the military officials who took part in the special operation.

Lawyer Shahdin Malik told bdnews24.com Bangladesh had signed the international convention forbidding torture in 1998. Section 14 of the law talks about raising fund to compensate anyone harmed at the hand of the government forces.

He added the Supreme Court of India had also issued many orders on the issue.

Z I Khan told bdnews24.com: "This indemnity law is one of the darkest laws in the world. No other country has this type of laws... no civilised country can have such law. Having [this law] is a blatant disregard for the rule of law."

BNP thinks that the US is correct in being concerned over human rights situation in Bangladesh, especially on account of alleged extra judicial killings by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

BNP Acting Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir discussed the party's stance over the matter with journalists on Saturday.

He thanked the US for discussing Bangladesh's human rights situation in its Congress.

"Human rights are being violated to the hilt under this government. A number of BNP leaders and activists, including Organising Secretary M Ilias Ali, have been kidnapped and killed.

"We've spoken against these many times, but the government did not pay any heed. Even the US Congress heard that the human rights in Bangladesh are now in tatters. It's worrisome," he said.

Robert O Blake Jr, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the US, told the Congress on Thursday that the US has authentic information on extra-judicial killings and abductions by RAB in Bangladesh.

Blake said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had conveyed during her trip to Bangladesh in May the concern of her country over the murder of labour rights activist Aminul Islam and the disappearance of opposition leader Ilias Ali.

Aminul had been killed and Ilias disappeared in April.

The proposed Tk 1.917-trillion national budget for 2012-13 fiscal will deepen economic crisis and discrimination between rich and poor, BNP has said.

BNP Standing Committee Member M K Anwar came up with the party's formal reaction to the proposed budget at a press conference at party chairperson's political office in Gulshan on Monday.

He also said that the budget proposals highlighted hopes and aspirations for masses, but it did not mention any specific way for their implementation.

"None of the government's targets will be achieved [in the proposed budget]. As a result, the discrimination between the poor and rich will deepen further. The inflation will also not come down."

On June 7, Finance Minister AMA Muhith placed the budget in parliament for the next fiscal projecting a 7.2 percent GDP growth amid the boycott by the opposition. The proposed budget is scheduled to be passed on June 28.

A former agriculture minister himself, Anwar termed corruption and lack of good governance as main obstacles to development.

He said though the size of the budget is not too big compared to the necessity of the country, it would be very difficult to implement it due to its poor ability to finance, incompetent administration and lack of political goodwill.

He stressed the need for political stability for implementation of the budget and overcome the economic challenges.

All the readymade garment (RMG) factories in Ashulia industrial belt will reopen from Thursday after a four-day closure following a labour unrest.

The owners agreed to resume operations following Labour Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain's request at a meeting on Wednesday, according to the minister.

The leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) met him at Sram Bhaban.

"All factories will remain open from tomorrow (Thursday). I'm urging workers to report for work," Mosharraf said.

BGMEA President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin said, "We gained the confidence to reopen the factories after discussions with the government and on assurance of security and other related issues."

"We did not set up the factories to keep them closed. They had to be shut for insecurity and disorder," he said.

Asked about hiking wages of workers, Mohiuddin said, "Neither the government nor the owners have received any such demand. We'll take steps if it is made."

In this regard, Mosharraf said, "The government has not yet received any logical and specific demand or proposal. So, no decision in this regard has yet been taken."

"The government will consider the matter if any specific demand or proposal is made," he added.

BGMEA and BKMEA decided to halt operations at around 350 Ashulia factories for an indefinite period on Sunday following violent demonstrations by the workers. They blocked highways and clashed with police for days demanding a pay hike effective from June 11. Some 500,000 people work at these factories.

According to government statistics, there are about 3,500 readymade garments factories across the country.

After a tripartite meeting of the government, factory owners and worker leaders a few days back, the workers were urged to report for work, but to no avail.

The garment workers last got a pay hike two years ago, but according to the union leaders, their wages had failed to keep pace with ever-rising inflation.

Earlier in the day, State Minister for Labour Monnujan Sufian sat with the leaders of worker unions.

Sufian agreed with them on their claim that prices of commodities, including food, and house rent, had shot up.

"As prices of commodities, including food, have been hiked, the prime minister has assured that the RMG workers will get ration soon," she said.

"The government will look into other issues later," she added.

The leaders said Sufian had assured them that a decision on their demand would be taken after discussions with the people concerned.

'House rent hike illogical'

Mosharraf slammed house owners for hiking rent.

"Hike in transport fare and house rent are big problems for the workers. House rent is increased several times illogically. This is unacceptable," he said.

"The government has taken steps to implement laws on house rent firmly," he added.

Mosharraf also urged the workers to join work peacefully. "The government won't allow any illogical disorder or instigation...now or in the future," he said.

"Conspiracies and instigations have been made ... firm steps will be taken against any sort of violence," he added.

Earlier in the day, Awami League's General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam also said that a conspiracy had been hatched to foment trouble. He blamed another country for the unrest but did not name it.

Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee Member Moyen Khan said neighbouring India instigated the unrest.

Terming the government 'fascist', opposition BNP has alleged that the government is once again conspiring to obstruct Monday's rally of the 18-Party Alliance.

Police had detained over 100 opposition leaders and activists across the country ahead of the rally to be addressed by Chairperson Khaleda Zia, party's Assistant Office Secretary Abdul Latif Jony said in a statement issued on Sunday evening.

"The fascist Awami League government is going ahead with its conspiracy to obstruct people from joining the June 11 rally like it did ahead of the Mar 12 rally," he said.

Police continued to obstruct opposition activists by setting up check-posts at entry points of Dhaka city and harassed them in the name of searching hotels in the capital, he said.

A list of detained leaders and activists of the party had also been attached with the statement.

"This is an incomplete list, as we are still receiving news of detentions across the country," it said.

According to the list, the detainees include over 25 opposition leaders of Dhaka, 28 of Khulna and 26 of Gazipur.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Sunday allowed the opposition BNP to hold its rally in the capital on Monday outlining 11 conditions to be adhered to during the programme.

BNP's Assistant Office Secretary Abdul Latif Jony received a letter signed by DMP Deputy Commissioner (Headquarters) Habibur Rahman around 8pm on Sunday.

The conditions include limiting the use of loudspeakers in the rally area from Fakirapool Crossing to Nightingale Crossing and its duration to three-and-a-half hours.

The letter also specified that the rally stage should not be used for any purpose other than making political speeches, and acts that could go against the law and public interest would not be allowed.

The DMP also mandated that the rally stage could not be set up on the main road, people could throng the rally venue only two hours prior to its start and the rally must end by 5:30pm.

The conditions also include that people cannot gather in any open place before or after the time permitted for holding the rally, and traffic cannot be hampered and people's movement cannot be obstructed outside the area fixed for the rally.

The main opposition led 18-party opposition alliance is set to hold the rally at 2pm on Monday in front of the party's Naya Paltan headquarters.

The law-enforcers had specified similar conditions for opposition's Mar 12 rally at the same venue.

The BNP has announced to hold its June 11 rally in front of its party headquarters as the authorities were yet to approve a venue for the opposition's pre-announced programme.

The party's Standing Committee member Tariqul Islam announced the opposition decision at a press briefing on Saturday. He said that they have not yet got permission for a venue and use microphones for the rally from the police and other relevant authorities.

"We'd like to request the government to grant permission for the rally promptly," he said adding "otherwise, we are determined to hold the Jun 11 rally in front of our party headquarters at Naya Paltan."

Earlier from a Mar 12 rally in Dhaka, the BNP chief Khaleda Zia had given the government a 90-day ultimatum to restore the caretaker government system, which the Awami League-led coalition government annulled through the 15th amendment of the Constitution last year.

BNP chief had warned of announcing 'tougher agitation programmes from a rally in the capital on Jun 11 if her party's demands were not met by Jun 10.

The BNP chief is expected to announce fresh agitation programmes from Monday's rally. Khaleda had already held meetings with leaders of the 18-Party Alliance on Thursday and discussed the issue.

The BNP-led alliance had sought permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on May 24 to hold the rally either at Paltan Grounds or Manik Mia Avenue or in front of the BNP headquarters at the Naya Paltan in the city.

The Jatiya Krira Parishad has already said that no rally can be held at the Paltan Grounds. There were no words regarding the other two venues the BNP has applied for.

Tariqul Islam, a former minister during the BNP-led government, on Saturday alleged that a delegation of the party, comprising of the Opposition Chief Whip in Parliament Zainul Abdin Farroque, MPs Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee and Abul Khair Bhuiyan, and Dhaka Metropolitan BNP unit Member Secretary Abdus Salam, could not meet the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner though they had waited for long on Thursday and Saturday.

"The officials there did not show least courtesy to the BNP delegation which is regrettable," he said.

The BNP leader alleged that the government was trying to thwart the rally. "BNP's rally will take place on Monday no matter whatever the obstacle is," Tariqul said.

He added that if there were any attempts to thwart the rally, the government would have to take the responsibility for 'unpleasant incidents'.

Tariqul also came down hard on police for not yet permitting to use microphones for the rally. He hoped that the number of people taking part in Monday's rally would be greater than the Mar 12 rally.

Even though the senior 18-Party Alliance leaders including BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had secured bail in an arson attack case, chances of their release have remained uncertain as a chargesheet in a bomb explosion case has been submitted.

The Public Prosecutor involving the case has already sought a decision from a court to produce the alliance leaders in the Secretariat bomb explosion case. They will have to wait for their release until a decision regarding the petition comes.

BNP says the government has resorted to the tactic of "production warrant" to delay the release of the leaders despite securing bail from the High Court.

Production warrant is an order issued by a trial court to produce a person before the court in connection with criminal proceedings pending against the accused.

The new twist has come amid concerns that the country's politics could become more confrontational in the coming weeks as the government has refused to a June-10 deadline for restoring the caretaker government system.

BNP Chairperson Kahleda Zia is expected to announce fresh protest programmes from a rally planned for Monday in front of the party's Naya Paltan headquarters.

The defendants' lawyers have said they will move the court on Sunday to withdraw the petition filed by the Public Prosecutor.

A lawyer of the alliance leaders, Zoynal Abedin Mesbah, told bdnews24.com that he along with senior lawyers will go to the Dhaka Senior Special Tribunal and will seek an order to withdraw the petition seeking warrant to produce the accused in the court.

The lawyers representing the state, however, said the accused would have to file fresh bail prayers as their bail duration in the bomb explosion case has expired. They will have to stay behind bars if they fail to secure bail afresh.

Mesbah also said the accused would not get freedom until the petition is withdrawn.

A lawyer representing the state at a trial court, Abdullah Abu, told bdnews24.com that the alliance leaders had secured bail in the Secretariat bomb explosion case filed at Shahbagh Police Station until police submitted chargesheet in the case.

"They (alliance leaders) will have to seek bail anew as the chargesheet has been submitted," he said.

A High Court bench of Justices Salma Masud Chowdhury and F R M Nazmul Ahsan granted bail on Thursday to 30 leaders of the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance in a vehicle torching case during an opposition-sponsored countrywide shutdown on Apr 29.

Meanwhile, the Investigation Officer of the Secretariat bomb explosion case submitted chargesheet on May 31 against 29 leaders of the opposition alliance. A hearing is scheduled to take place on July 26.

On Apr 29, during the opposition-sponsored countrywide shutdown protesting against the 'forced disappearance' of one of BNP's Organising Secretaries, two crude bombs were hurled at the Secretariat and a vehicle was torched near the Prime Minister's Office.

Police filed two cases with Shahbagh and Tejgaon police over the incidents accusing 29 leaders of the alliance for the bomb explosion and 45 for the arson attack incident.

Ilias Ali, also the Sylhet unit BNP chief, has been missing since Apr 17.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police has given 'verbal permission' allowing BNP to install a stage and hold Monday's rally in front of the party headquarters at Naya Paltan.

"Though belated, we have finally got verbal permission for Monday's rally and building the stage," the opposition Chief Whip in Parliament Zainul Abdin Farroque told reporters after a meeting with DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed on Sunday.

Farroque said the DMP Commissioner had assured them that a copy of the written permission would be sent to the BNP office within an hour.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia is expected to announce fresh agitation programmes from Monday's rally after a deadline for restoring the caretaker government system expired on Sunday.

"We sought police assistance to hold our rally peacefully," he said.

He vowed to make the rally a success.

A four-member BNP delegation, led by Farroque, joined the hour-long meeting at the DMP headquarters.

The other members of the delegation were BNP lawmakers Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, Abul Khair Bhuiyan and Dhaka Metropolitan Unit Member Secretary Abdus Salam.

Farroque said they would begin installing the rally stage opposite to the BNP headquarters by Sunday noon.

On whether the rally permission had any conditions attached to it, he said, "We have been told anything like that."

"We also gave no condition."

The 18-Party Alliance rally is scheduled to commence at 2pm on Monday.

A senior BNP leader on Saturday warned the police officials who filed cases against senior opposition leaders saying 'steps against them would be taken once the party goes to power'.

"Once BNP goes to power, steps will be taken against those 'enthusiastic' police officers who are favouring the government and have filed the false cases against the opposition leaders and activists," BNP standing committee member M K Anwar said at a human-chain programme in front of the National Press Club in the city.

The BNP leader is also accused in a case filed under the Speedy Trial Act over violence during a shutdown in the capital. He came out of jail last week on bail.

Anwar said, "The government has already withdrawn 7,500 cases against their party activists and now filing cases against the opposition one after another."

Saying the cases against the BNP leaders were 'groundless', Anwar said, "The unsuccessful government resorted to false cases and torture to repress the opposition."

"But the agitation cannot be stopped by filing cases," he added.

He reiterated his party's long-standing demand to reinstate the caretaker government provision, which was annulled through the 15th Amendment to the Constitution last year.