Nayapaltan vibrates with slogans as BNP gears up for Saturday's rally
The BNP's grand rally is scheduled to begin at 2pm on Saturday.
Nayapaltan has been echoing with slogans since the Dhaka Metropolitan Police granted permission for BNP to hold a grand rally on Saturday.
At the rally venue, just in front of the party office, BNP activists, along with the members of affiliated organisations, are chanting various slogans, including the call for the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
BNP is organising the rally to press home their one-point demand, calling for the resignation of the current government.
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The grand rally, set to commence at 2 o'clock on Saturday, will be graced by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the chief guest.
During a late-night press conference, Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP, assured that the installation of all stages and microphones will be completed by nightfall.
Law enforcement personnel are on high alert in Nayapaltan and its surrounding areas.
Many BNP leaders and activists who reached Dhaka from different parts of the country joined Jummah prayers in mosques around Nayapaltan. Many of them offered prayers on the streets at Nayapaltan.
After the Jummah prayers, they squatted on the street in front of the party office amid the presence of a huge number of law enforcers.
BNP leaders said they want to hold the rally peacefully with the presence of thousands of people in a bid to send out a message to the government to step down and take steps for holding the next polls under the non-partisan administration.
Earlier on 18 October, the party announced the grand rally in the capital for 28 October to start the 'final phase' of action and programmes of the ongoing movement to topple the current regime, thus paving the way for holding the next election under a non-party neutral government.
On 21 October, the party submitted a letter to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) office informing the police authorities that they want to hold the programme at Nayapaltan.
The party also informed Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Thursday that it is determined to hold the grand rally at Nayapaltan venue.
Later on Wednesday (26 Oct), DMP sent a letter to BNP seeking various information, including the two names of alternative venues to Nayapaltan, the expected number of people at the rally, its duration, where loudspeakers would be installed and whether anyone from other parties would be present or not.
In response, BNP also sent a letter saying it is not possible for the party to arrange the rally at any other venue as they have already completed all preparations to hold it at Nayapaltan.
The party also said 100,000 to 125,000 people may participate in the rally and no leaders and activists from other parties will be there too, at Nayapaltan during the programme.
BNP also informed the DMP that the rally will formally begin at 2pm while the party's 500 volunteers will be deployed to maintain internal discipline.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a press conference on Thursday reaffirmed that their grand rally will be held peacefully.
He urged people from all walks of life to participate in the rally to mount pressure on the government to accept the opposition's one-point demand that includes the resignation of the current regime and holding the next election under a neutral government.
The BNP leader also warned the government will be held responsible if it or the ruling party makes any excesses and creates any obstacles to the rally.
