The New Nation - Internet Edition

Police and members of the statue demolition
committee met face-to-face near Zia International airport as
their scheduled rally could not be held due to intervention
of the law-enforcing agency. NN photo Police and members of
the statue demolition commit

Staff Reporter

Murti Protirodh Committee, a newly formed body against sculptures, failed to hold their scheduled anti-sculptures rally in the city yesterday, as a huge number of police were deployed following government ban on such programmes.

Police said some 25 platoons of police, each having 25 members, were deployed since morning at the Zia International Airport (ZIA) roundabout where a sculpture depicting five `bauls' was installed but later removed by the government in the face of heavy protest by fanatics. Besides, some 12 platoons of police were also deployed outside the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque to avert any untoward incidents following demands by the same group for constructing a Hajj Minar at the ZIA roundabout.

The Committee also could not hold their anti-sculptures rally at the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque premises due to heavy police presence.

Police earlier gave the `musullis' (devotees) body-check before allowing them inside the mosque for Jum'a prayers.

Officer-in-Charge of Paltan Police Station Farid Hossain told the New Nation that the members of the committee opposing sculptures wanted to hold a rally at the north gate of the Baitul Mukarram mosque but they were asked to leave as the DMP imposed ban on such programme.

Failing to hold their programme, the leaders of the committee strongly criticised the role of police and demanded removal of all the sculptures set up on important roads across the country.

They also demanded immediate construction of a `Hajj Minar' at the ZIA.

Earlier, on Thursday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) slapped a ban on a rally called by an organisation styled `Bimanbandar Golchattar Murti Protirodh Committee' on the airport premises.