The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The BNP-led four-party alliance formed human-chains defying a police ban and braving heavy rains in Dhaka city and elsewhere in the country yesterday afternoon.

Police used batons to disperse the alliance's leaders and activists and snatched banners at different places, when they tried to form human chain on the streets demanding BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's unconditional release and overseas treatment for her elder son Tarique Rahman.

But no major untoward incident was reported. but no major untoward incident was reported but no major untoward incident was reported but no major untoward incident was reported but no major untoward incident was reported

Hundreds of the alliance leaders and activists led by BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Islami Oikyajote secretary general Abdul Latif Nezami formed the human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital around 5:30pm after failing take their programme on to the streets in the face of heavy police's barricade.

Protesting the police interference, Delwar announced protest meeting on September 2.

Delwar condemned the police action on their "peaceful" human-chain

programme and said the political process cannot be halted with police

restriction Delwar condemned the police action on their "peaceful" human-chain

programme and said the political process cannot be halted with police restriction. He condemned the police action on their "peaceful" human chain programme saying that the political process cannot be halted with police restrictions.

Khandker Delwar warned that the alliance would make resistance whenever the government obstructed their programmes in the future.

He said, "The government is showing step motherly attitude towards the BNP unnecessarily by obstructing our peaceful programmes."

Delwar alleged that the caretaker government is pushing the country towards chaos by using the police against their political activities.

"The caretaker government is trying to hang on to power by using the state of emergency," he further said.

He said the 4-party alliance would carry forward its non-stop programmes until Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman's are released. He asked the government to meet their demands immediately.

Delwar demanded of the caretaker government to create environment of dialogue and election by releasing Begum Khaleda Zia and managing Tarique Rahman proper medical treatment abroad.

He said if the government really means dialogue and election, Khaleda Zia must be released and Tarique sent abroad for treatment.

Protesting the police obstructions, BNP secretary general Khandaker

Delwar Hossain announced protest meeting for September 2. Protesting the police obstructions, BNP secretary general Khandaker

Delwar Hossain announced protest meeting for September 2. Protesting the police obstructions, BNP secretary general Khandaker

Delwar Hossain announced protest meeting for September 2

Meanwhile, Leaders and activists also formed another human chain before Sonali Bank Motijheel office, led by BNP leaders Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui and Nazrul Islam Khan. But heavy rainfall compelled them to leave.

Some 40 BNP activists later took out a protest procession in Motijheel commercial area before being obstructed by police. The protesters smashed at least 15 vehicles including one of private TV station Channel i.

Kalyanpur police dispersed four-party alliance members as they formed a human chain led by former BNP lawmaker Sohrab Hossain.

BNP's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) also joined the programme.

Over 1,500 JCD activists from various educational institutions of the city marched towards the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, through Sahrawardy Udyan. But their programme also faced police intervention as they reached the gate.

Later the JCD adherents gathered in front of Raju sculpture chanting slogans.

Earlier, top leaders of the alliance in a meeting at Delwar's residence yesterday morning had decided that they would observe human chain programme peacefully, despite a ban imposed by police late Tuesday night.

Delwar said, "The government is treating us unfairly by issuing the press note for no good reason."

Meanwhile, the alliance district level leaders and activist formed human chain programme outside Dhaka in front of the party offices or other home grounds after failing to take programme on to streets due the police impediment. But the activists clashed with law-enforcers in different districts including Khulna and Kishoreganj.

Police had earlier stopped the party's Aug 21 programme of marching towards the Chief Adviser's Office to submit a memorandum incorporating the same demands.