The leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka South City unit will march towards the Jatiya Press Club (JPC) from Gopibagh in the capital on Thursday to press home their 10-point demand including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.
Thursday’s programme is part of the party’s second phase of anti-government protest.
The party leaders and activists will gather at Brothers Union Club to start the march around 2 pm.
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain will inaugurate the programme as the chief guest.
Meanwhile, Awami League and Jubo League, the youth wing of the ruling party, will also hold two peace rallies in the capital on the same day, in an apparent bid to counter the BNP’s programme.
Dhaka South City unit Jubo League will hold a peace rally at Bangabandhu Avenue at 2:30pm while Awami League’s Dhaka North City unit will hold a peace rally at Pallabi at 3pm, protesting the "terror and anarchy of the BNP".
On Tuesday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced their party’s second phase of the march programme in the capital.
As part of the programme, the Dhaka North City unit will also march towards Bosila Saat Rasta intersection from Shyamoli playground at 2pm on February 12.
Earlier, leaders and activists of the party’s Dhaka north and south city units observed the march programme on January 28, 31, 30 and February 1 respectively to push for their 10-point demand.
Later on February 4, BNP announced another march programme in all unions across the country on February 11 (Saturday) to mount pressure on the government to accept their 10-point demand.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas called upon the Awami League not to organise any programme in the name of a peace rally on the day of BNP's program that can create anarchy and chaos.
"Don't give any counter programme on the day of BNP’s programme. If necessary, give the programme in advance. We also will not give any programme on the day of your one. If you want peace, don't give a counter programme," he said.
Abbas made the call while addressing a preparatory meeting of Dhaka South City unit BNP. The meeting was organised at Abba’s Shahjahanpur residence on the eve of the march programme.
Abbas said their party has been carrying out a peaceful movement to restore democracy and people’s voting rights. “BNP wants to unseat this government through a peaceful movement. But the government gets afraid when the BNP demonstrates or even when the BNP remains to relent.”