Thousands of BNP activists and leaders on Saturday gathered in Rangpur city to join an anti-government rally amid allegations of using the transport owners and workers by the government to enforce a strike in the region.
A 36-hour transport strike began on Friday morning, but the opposition party is all set to hold its fourth divisional rally in Rangpur.
But the ruling party in Rangpur has denied any involvement with the transport strike.
Party leaders and activists have erected a stage at the Rangpur Collector Eidgah ground where the rally is scheduled to begin at 2pm on Saturday.
Several thousand leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies from different districts under the division started reaching rally venue from Friday afternoon as they used alternative modes of transport.
Read more: BNP set to hold 4th divisional rally in Rangpur Saturday
Though bus communication remained halted between Rangpur and the rest of the country since Friday morning, BNP activists from eight nearby districts were seen coming to different areas adjacent to the city by small vehicles like human haulers, auto rickshaws, three-wheelers, motorbikes, and micro-buses a day before the rally.