Defying a two-day long transport ban, leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have started gathering at Barishal city’s Bangabandhu Park to attend the party’s divisional rally on Saturday.

Separately, visiting Barishal’s central bus terminal in Nathullabad, UNB found the place overcrowded as hundreds of commuters had arrived there to leave for their destinations one day in advance, fearing the transport strike, which is set to begin from Friday morning.

“I had a plan to go to Dhaka on Friday, but I came here a day early keeping Friday’s transport strike in mind,” said Subarna Pal, a commuter.

Read: BNP rally: Commuters suffer as launch, speedboat services suspended in Barishal

BNP leaders and activists from different parts of Barishal division started arriving at Bangabandhu Park on Thursday morning.

“I’ve come here two days earlier due to the transport strike. Finding no other place, I’m staying at my relative’s house,” said Sadikur Rahman, a Jubo Dal activist from Patuakhali.

On Thursday afternoon, some Bangladesh Chhatra League activists allegedly vandalised three banners of BNP’s divisional rally in the city’s Zila School intersection.

“Awami League activists suddenly swooped on us today, injuring us and tearing our banners and posters apart. They are doing so to prevent us from holding our rally, which we won’t do, no matter how adverse the situation may be,” said Afroza Khanam Nasrin, a former Organising Secretary of Central Chhatra Dal.

Read: BNP gets Bangabandhu Udyan for its Barishal rally on November 5

Moazzem Hossain Alal, Joint Secretary General of BNP, said that the arrival of their activists cannot be stopped through a transport ban.

“Thousands of our activists have already gathered at the venue, which means that our rally is going to be a success despite numerous efforts from the government to foil it. We’ll go on with our programme, no matter what happens,” said Alal.