The grand rally of BNP has begun in front of its Nayapaltan central office with the participation of thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies to press home their one-point demand for holding the upcoming national election under a non-party government.

The rally formally began around 12:40pm on Saturday with the recitation from the holy Quran.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will address the programme as the chief guest and announce their next course of action to mount pressure on the current regime to accept the one-point demand that includes the resignation of the current regime and holding the next election under a neutral government.

Leaders, activists have started gathering at Baitul Mukarram South Gate for AL’s Peace Rally

The leaders and followers of BNP and its associate bodies in their thousands gathered in front of their Nayapaltan central offices to attend the party’s grand rally.

Defying the party senior leaders’ instructions, several thousand opposition activists thronged Nayapaltan on Friday afternoon in advance and stayed there overnight there.

 Carrying banners, festoons, placards and portraits of the party’s top leaders, the opposition followers from across the country took part in the programme

The roads and alleys stretching from Fakirerfoll to Kakrail Mosque were crowded with BNP activists, halting traffic in the area.  The expanding rally crowd spilled over onto nearby roads and streets and spaces.

Thousands gather at Dhaka’s Nayapaltan for BNP’s grand rally

Many leaders and activists of the party alleged that they had to face checking and barricades by law enforcement agencies at the entrances and in different points of the capital.

They also alleged that police detained many of their colleagues on ‘lame’ excuses in a bid to obstruct the rally.

Police also detained 200 leaders and activists of BNP, believed to have gathered for the party’s grand rally, from an under-construction building in Dhaka’s Kakrail area early today.

The party set up a big stage on nine trucks and rolled out the red carpets and installed loudspeakers.

Artistes from the BNP's cultural body performed patriotic songs to keep the crowds invigorated.

Apart from BNP, other like-minded political parties and alliances are also arranging separate rallies in different spots in the city to press home the one-point demand.

200 BNP men detained from under-construction building in Dhaka’s Kakrail area

Besides, the ruling Awami League is also scheduled to hold a rally in front of the south gate of Baitul Mukarram mosque, which is 1.7 kilometres away from the BNP’s venue at Nayapaltan

After taking much time, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) finally gave Awami League and BNP permission on Friday evening to hold their rallies in the capital’s Baitul Mukarram’s South Gate and Nayapaltan respectively on 20 conditions.

 All eyes will be on the BNP’s rally as speculations are there that the party may announce tougher action programmes like marching towards important government offices or laying siege to these offices in the capital.

Earlier on October 18, the BNP announced the grand rally in the capital for October 28 to start the 'final phase' of action and programmes of the ongoing movement to topple the current regime, thus paving the way for holding the next election under a non-party neutral government.