BNP activists gathering, chanting slogans in Nayapaltan
BNP men have claimed that vehicles are being stopped and seized by police on the way to the Dhaka rally
The Bangladesh Nationalists Party (BNP) and their allied organizations' activists are gathering in front of the party's Nayapaltan headquarters since today (12 July) morning to participate in the mass gathering where the party's one-point movement will be announced.
The rally will start at 2:00pm as announced earlier. BNP General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will speak as the chief guest in this 3-hour-long mass gathering.
Currently, a cultural programme is being held at the venue where hundreds of BNP activists from different parts of the country were seen joining groups while singing patriotic songs and reciting poems since morning.
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BNP leaders and activists from outside Dhaka are also marching towards the party's Nayapaltan headquarters since early morning while holding banners and chanting slogans demanding the release of Khaleda Zia.
Meanwhile, BNP men have claimed that vehicles are being stopped and seized by police on the way to the Dhaka rally.
General Secretary of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal Shahidul Islam Babul claimed that police arrested 13 leaders of Faridpur District Chhatra Dal along with its general secretary Tanjimul Hasan Kayes, who were on their way to the Paltan rally and took them to South Keraniganj Police Station.
"Police at Savar's Boliapur have set up a checkpoint and no vehicles are being allowed to enter Dhaka. People had to walk a few kilometres to cross the checkpoint and find another vehicle to reach Dhaka," said a BNP activist.
A makeshift stage has been set up on the south side of the road (in front of the party office) and BNP men took to both sides of the roads from Rajarbagh police hospital intersection to Kakrail intersection.
Meanwhile, additional members of law enforcement agencies have been deployed in the Nayapaltan area ahead of the rally. They are staying on alert to avoid any untoward incidents.
"As both Awami League and BNP rallies are being held within a kilometre distance, we took extra security measures and deployed extra police force to prevent any untoward situation. Police will try out best to keep law and order normal," Golam Ruhai, assistant commissioner of Motijheel zone of DMP said.
Earlier on Tuesday (11 July), Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) gave a formal nod to BNP's rally at Nayapaltan today. They have been allowed to hold the rally between 2pm-5pm.
Meanwhile, DMP has also given permission to Awami League's peace rally at Baitul Mokarram South Gate on Wednesday from 3pm-5pm.
In order to inform foreign representatives that BNP reached the final stage of the movement to "topple the government," the party decided to announce their one-point movement during the visit of the six-member EU Election Exploratory Mission currently visiting Bangladesh to observe the election situation.
The BNP also instructed their affiliates and allied organizations to make comprehensive preparations for the gathering.
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said yesterday (11 July) the one-point movement – in demand of the current government's resignation and a non-partisan caretaker government – is going to primarily focus on Dhaka.
Different plans are being made to build a uniformed one-point movement to force the government to resign by holding large gatherings in the capital.
"With the learnings from previous movements, BNP leaders now believe that it is not possible to make the government resign without a strong protest in Dhaka," he said.
"You will witness that this government's time is up through the public gathering on 12 July.
"The government will not be given any concessions from now on. People are coming to the streets and they will win," Khasru added.
He also warned that there will be a huge public gathering at today's rally.
