Pabna’sBhanguraupazila administration have imposed restrictions on public assembly to avert any untoward incident as two rival political parties announced simultaneous rallies at the same venue.

The restrictions applied under Section 144 have been in force in the upazila since 6:00am, and will stay until 12:00am, said the local administration.

Bhanguraupazilanirbahi officer and executive magistrate Mohammad NahidHasan Khan issued this order on Sunday night.

He said that the administration resorted to the restriction to keep the law and order situation under control.

All types of public gatherings in the area adjacent to and around the upazilasadar have been banned.

Bhangura unit BNP called a protest rally on Monday protesting the hike in the prices of fuel and daily commodities as well as the recent attacks on BNP activists.

On the other hand, the upazila unit of Awami League announced a rally against ‘BNP’s anarchy’ at the same place.

Fearing deterioration in law and order situation, the administration imposed Section 144 to maintain peace in the area, said Md Faisal Bin Ahsan, officer-in-charge of Bhangura police station.

Habibur Rahman Habib, convener of Pabna district BNP and adviser to BNP chairperson, expressed his anger on this issue and said, ‘7-8 days ago we were supposed to be taken from the police and upazila administration.

While UpazilaAwami League general secretary and municipal mayor GolamHasnain Russell said, ‘It was basically a programme of BNP to create anarchy.So we gave a programme so that no kind of anarchy can be created here.