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The Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Wednesday issued directive not to carry sticks or iron rods during political processions and rallies as those things bear the token of violence and panic among people.

DMP additional commissioner for crime and operations AKM Hafiz Akhter came up with the instructions in a briefing at the DMP Media Centre.

He said that the police authorities instructed all deputy commissioners of DMP to grant permission  for rallies with the condition of not carrying iron rods, sticks or national flags on sticks.

The instructions came following a few incidents of violence, attacks and clashes between the activists of the ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP over holding rallies at different parts of the capital.

Both the party activists attended their rallies and processions carrying iron rods, cricket stamps and sticks, and were locked in clashes recently.

Hafiz said that in some many cases the national flags were being tied to the top of the sticks, and there were incidents of desecrations of national flag at the rallies.

The DMP official stated that they would be on the city streets to maintain law and order during the rallies.

The opposition BNP alleges that the police deny permission to the party for holding rallies and take the side of the ruling Awami League during violence.

Asked about the allegations, the police officer said that they did not receive any such complaint from any quarters.

Hafiz pointed out that the police usually did not deny permission for rallies, but put restrictions, and refused to give approval occasionally if there was any risk to law and order situations.

The opposition BNP leaders have been urging their party activists to carry sticks during their rallies since they have come under several attacks by the Awami League activists recently.

The BNP leaders say that carrying sticks does not mean that they are for attack on others, rather they are for resisting attacks from the Awami League.

The DMP’s press briefing was arranged for informing the media about arresting a group of burglars led by a union parishad member in Madaripur.

The arrestee is Azizul Haque Fakir, who has been involved in burglary of shops since 2016.

The police are trying to arrest his cohorts, Hafiz said, adding that they had been an alarming rise in burglary and mugging in the capital in recent days.

He mentioned that 73 cases of burglary were filed in the capital’s police stations in August while there were a huge number of unreported burglaries.

The DMP has compiled details of 4,000 thieves in their database and is trying to take actions against them to decrease crime.