The peace and development rally of Awami League is underway at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka with participation of hundreds of thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies.

The rally has been organised on the occasion of the 60th birthday of Shaheed Sheikh Russel, youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

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The venue and surrounding areas reverberated with slogans including “We stand with our leader Sheikh Hasina”, as BNP is also holding a protest rally.

AL leaders and activists have gathered at the venue carrying banners, festoons, placards, and portraits from different parts of Dhaka to join the rally from 2 pm onwards.

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The roads and alleys stretching from Gulistan to GPO and adjacent lanes are crowded with activists, halting traffic in the area. The expanding rally crowd spilled over onto nearby roads, streets, and spaces.

Dhaka south and north metropolitan units of AL have organised the programme.

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AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader will deliver his speech as the chief guest, while the president of the Dhaka metropolitan south unit of the party will preside over the programme.

The General Secretary of the Dhaka metropolitan north unit of AL, SM Kachi Khandakar, is conducting the programme.

President of Dhaka metropolitan north unit of Awami league, Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, and general secretary of Dhaka metropolitan south unit, Humayun Kabir, will also deliver speeches.

The party announced a series of activities today.

The directive for AL activists to gather in the capital today was issued by Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday.

The Awami League has laid out an elaborate schedule of programmes that will run from October 7 to October 18. The programme began with a teachers' gathering on October 7. The series of events will culminate in the public rally today.

Regarding today’s programme, Quader said, "In Dhaka city, we will block their (BNP’s) gatherings and prevent them from carrying out their plan. They are conspiring. Fakhrul is spreading rumours. He's collecting news from thin air."