Authorities from Rangoon division have issued a new directive in Bahan township mandating that residents, organisations and business owners provide officials with 20 days notice if they are planning to host an event.

Business owners and politicians working in the township, which is also home to the National League for Democracy’s headquarters and Royal Rose Hall that hosted the NLD’s nationwide convention earlier this year, claim the area is being singled out by authorities.

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“There are two questions here: what law the order was issued under and whether the government organisation issuing the order has the legal power to do so,” said NLD spokesperson Nyan Win.

“We don’t know the answer yet, but this is surely not impartial.”

According to former NLD member and owner of the Royal Rose Hall Soe Nyunt, out of the 45 townships in the region Bahan is the only one being targeted under the directive.

“The state government during a meeting on 8 August issued the directive: to inform authorities 20 days in advance when organising events at restaurants, hotels, religious places and education centres or face legal punishment,” said Soe Nyunt.

“The directive was issued only in Bahan township.”

According to Soe Nyunt, the township’s administrator had previously informed him that any plans to host an event at his venue needed to be reported to the authorities 20 days in advance, but the owner argued that the regulation needed to be officially issued.