Police prevent non-govt relief collection in city

They did not allow the leaders and workers of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) to collect relief materials from different sectors of Uttara in the morning and picked up three activists, Aziz Akhand, Mobarak and Abul who were later released in the evening.

BDB spokesman and lawmaker Mahi B Chowdhury said, "Local people came out of their houses spontaneously to contribute to the relief fund, but police foiled the programme."

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Duty Officer Habibur Rahman of Uttara Police Station said "We intervened in the programme at the request of the locals who were annoyed with the noise of loud speakers."

Nibedan, a cultural forum, said police prevented their fund-raising campaign at around 5:00pm at Malibagh.

"We had been collecting relief materials in different parts of the city for last three days," said Bishwajit Roy of Nibedan adding, "We are now frustrated by the government decision of banning non-government relief collection and fund-raising."

Police also snatched away the banners and clubbed the activists of Biplobi Chhatra Moitri from collecting relief materials in Dhanmondi.

An alliance of five left parties and Chhatra Moitri, in separate press releases, protested the government decision describing it inhuman and autocratic.

Other political parties and social organisations have also criticised the government ban on non-government fund-raising and called for immediate withdrawal of the order.

Deputy Minister for Food and Disaster Management Asadul Habib Dulu said, "We did not take such decision, but anyone found collecting toll in the name of relief will be punished according to the law."