BNP is set to hold its ninth-divisional rally in Rajshahi city on Saturday (December 3) with enthusiasm after Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) gave it permission. The approval for BNP to hold its rally at Madrasa Ground in Rajshahi came on eight conditions, RMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Rafiqul Alam told UNB on Wednesday. BNP can hold the rally at the venue from 2pm to 5pm on that day as per the condition. The party has to seek permission from the authorities concerned for using the venue as only RMP’s permission is not enough for holding the rally. Read more: If Khaleda joins BNP’s Dec 10 rally, court will take steps: Home Minister Any anti-state activities or statements at the rally venue are prohibited, according to another condition. It also says that no propaganda or distribution of leaflets will be allowed, and no procession can be brought out from the venue. All activities of the rally should be kept inside the venue and completed by the deadline, it says. All security measures, including installing CCTV cameras, vehicle scanners and metal detectors at the venue should be arranged by BNP. The party will be responsible if law and order situation deteriorates at the rally. “Legal action will be taken if BNP fails to comply with any of the conditions,” said RMP official Rafiqul. Meanwhile, the party leaders alleged that police were harassing by arresting and filing cases against BNP leaders and activists in various districts ahead of the rally, said advisor to BNP Chairperson Mizanur Rahman Minu at a press briefing at the party office in Malopara of the metropolis. Read more: DMP gives BNP 26 conditions for holding Dec 10 rally at Dhaka's Suhrawardy Udyan “At least 50 leaders were arrested last night,” said Ruhul Kuddus Talukdar Dulu, BNP’s organising secretary and rally committee coordinator. In another development, Rajshahi Divisional Road Transport Owners' Association threatened to enforce a strike in all eight districts of Rajshahi division from December 1 for an indefinite period. They called the strike to press home their 11-point demand, including the scrapping of the Road Transport Act 2018 and the ban on movement of illegal three-wheelers and battery-driven auto-rickshaws on highways by November 30. However, the party leaders are hopeful that it will be the largest rally in the country with at least 15 lakh people joining the rally. “We will make the rally a success at any cost,” said Ruhul Kuddus. As part of their ongoing movement, BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Read more: BNP's rally the cue for Rajshahi transport owners to strike BNP has already arranged rallies in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal, Faridpur, Sylhet and Cumilla, braving various obstacles and transport strikes. BNP has long been demanding that the next general election be held under a caretaker government, not under any political government — a demand sharply rejected by the ruling Awami League as the constitution does not allow it to happen. BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10, coinciding with International Human Rights Day.

BNP is preparing to hold its seventh divisional rally in Sylhet city amid much enthusiasm on November 19, ignoring the threat of ‘arrests and harassment by the government authorities’. The construction work of the stage for the rally started on Thursday at Sylhet Govt Alia Madrasa in Chowhatta area of the city. District BNP leaders said they have given strategic instructions to the leaders and activists from the previous experiences. They were asked to arrange accommodation and food in their houses for the leaders and activists who will come from other districts to join the rally. Read more: No more games in the name of election: Fakhrul at Faridpur rally Apprehending transport strike ahead of the rally like the previous ones, the leaders and activists of Sadar upazila have already been asked to come to the city few days earlier. The same instruction was given to the upazila level leaders and activists of the party. Central leaders will come to Sylhet on November 17. For this, the leaders and activists will take position at the venue from that day. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association and Sylhet District Bus Owners Association General Secretary Ziaul Kabir Palash said he has not received any information about any kind of transport strike in the district before November 19. Read more: Strike halts bus services between Dhaka and 5 southern districts ahead of BNP's Faridpur rally So far, he has not received any information about transport workers going on strike. “If any such decision is taken, the media will be informed in advance,” he added. Expressing hope to hold the largest rally here like never before, Sylhet Metropolitan Member Secretary Miftah Siddiqui said the leaders who want to get nominated from BNP in the 19 seats of Sylhet division in the upcoming parliamentary elections are also campaigning to make the rally a success. The party activists are facing various obstructions from the ruling party and administration, said Sylhet District BNP General Secretary Emran Ahmed Chowdhury. “Despite all obstructions, people will make the rally in Sylhet  a success,” he added. He also hoped that the law enforcement agencies would provide full cooperation. Read more: BNP’s Sylhet divisional rally on Nov 19 instead of 20 BNP leaders and activists here have also informed the police commissioner in writing to maintain peace and order, said Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury. Besides, six committees have been formed on November 10 to make the rally a success, said Abdul Qayyum. Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Commissioner Nisharul Arif said the allegations of police raids on the houses of the BNP leaders and activists ahead of the rally are not true. “Arresting the accused is a routine work of police. It is not the intention of the police to harass anyone unnecessarily,” said the SMP Commissioner. As part of the move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities. BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10.

Users in Barishal are complaining of disrupted mobile and broadband internet services in the city since this morning amid the ongoing divisional rally of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Subscribers of telecom operators in the city and BNP activists present at Bangabandhu Park have complained about the disruption in internet services. “I couldn’t send photos of the BNP rally to my office due to mobile internet not functioning since this morning. I had to go to a shop and use broadband internet, which was also slow,” Nurul Amin, a local journalist, said. Broadband connection providers did not respond to the complaints. Read: BNP divisional rally begins at packed Barishal venue Md Adnan, a resident of Kashipur union under Barishal Sadar upazila, said that he too could not use mobile internet since morning. “However, the broadband internet connection in my house is working,” Adnan said.

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.