BNP will hold rallies in all divisional cities across the country on February 4 (Saturday) to press home their 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a caretaker government. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme at a rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the capital. Fakhrul said the rallies will be held in all divisional cities also demanding the unconditional release of the party leaders and activists, and the reduction of prices of electricity and daily commodities. He said their ongoing movement will continue until Awami League leaves power and the arrested BNP leaders are released from jail.  As part of the simultaneous movement against the current government, BNP arranged the rally. Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associated bodies joined the parogramme. The organisers said the programme was meant for registering a protest against the introduction of one-party Baksal rule by the Awami League on this day in 1975, the rise in the prices of power and gas and mounting pressure on the government to accept their 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party caretaker government. Read more: Simultaneous Movement: BNP forms liaison committee Apart from BNP, other like-minded opposition parties, alliances and organisations also observed a similar programme in Dhaka and other divisional cities and district towns as part of the simultaneous movement to oust the current government. In the capital, Ganatantra Mancha, Ganatantrik Bam Oikya and Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote held separate rallies in front of the Jatiya Press Club while the 12-Party Alliance near Bijoy Nagar Water Tank and LDP at FDC Crossing. They also announced to hold rallies and stage demonstrations in cities on February 4. It was the fourth programme of the simultaneous movement after the mass procession on December 30, a sit-in on January 11 and a rally and procession on January 16.

As part of the ongoing simultaneous movement against the current government, a rally of BNP began in front of its Nayapaltan central office with the participation of a huge number of leaders and activists of the party and its associated bodies. The rally formally began around 2:30 pm with recitation from the holy Quran. The organisers said the programme is meant for registering a protest against the introduction of one-party Baksal rule by Awami League on this day in 1975, rise in the prices of power and gas and mounting pressure on the government to accept their 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party caretaker government. Read more: People won't accept 'democracy of BAKSAL': Fakhrul Hundreds of party leaders and activists started gathering at the venue in small processions since noon, halting traffic in the area that caused public suffering. An adequate number of law enforcers have been deployed in and around the rally venue to fend off any untoward incident. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will announce the next course of action from the rally. Apart from BNP, other like-minded opposition parties, alliances and organisations are also observing a similar programme in Dhaka and other divisional cities and district towns on Wednesday as part of the simultaneous movement to oust the current government. Meanwhile, Ganatantra Mancha and Ganatantrik Bam Oikya held separate rallies in front of the Jatiya Press Club and announced a countrywide demonstration programme for February 4. BNP is likely to announce a similar programme for the same day from its rally. Read more: No more mockery in the name of election to be allowed: Fakhrul Besides, the 12-Party Alliance is holding a rally near Bijoy Nagar Water Tank while Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote in front of the Jatiya Press at and LDP at FDC Crossing. It is the fourth programme of the simultaneous movement after the mass procession in December 30, sit-in on January 11 and rally and procession on January 16.

The Left Democratic Alliance's Barisal district committee held a protest march and rally today calling for the overthrow of the government, establishment of democracy, right to vote, an end to gas and electricity price hikes, and lower pricing of daily essentials. Alliance leaders who spoke at the rally said that the current Awami League regime has strengthened their party's looters in the name of development. “They made their second abode in Canada, known as Begum Para. This government has increased the price of electricity 11 times in the last 14 years.   They will not be saved, no matter how much this illegitimate government talks about development,” said the speakers. Also Read: Revoke power price hike or face street protests: BNP to govt  The district coordinator of the Left Democratic Alliance, Professor Dulal Chandra Majumdar presided while the district president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Professor Mizanur Rahman, the district general secretary of the Revolutionary Communist League, Professor Nripendra Nath Barai, and the district member secretary of BASAD, Dr. Manisha Chakraborty, spoke among others. The program was held at 11am on Saturday in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in the city. A protest march was held in the city following the rally.  

BNP will take out a colourful ‘V Day Rally’  in Dhaka city on Friday, marking the 53rd Victory Day. The rally will be brought out around 2:30pm from Nayapaltan in front of BNP’s Central office, said a press release on Wednesday. To mark the V Day, the party will also hoist national and party flags atop the party offices in the morning on December 16. BNP standing committee members will place wreaths at the National Mausoleum at Savar the day at 9am. Later, they will place wreaths at the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman at Sher-e Banglanagar in the capital on the same day. Read: BNP pays homage to martyred intellectuals, vows to restore democracy BNP and its different associate bodies will also mark the Victory Day with various programmes, including discussions. The party urged the leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies to make the programmes of the Victory Day a success with their spontaneous participation.  The nation will celebrate the 53rd Victory Day on Friday to pay deep homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War. Read: BNP looks to change date of mass procession upon AL request After a bloodstained nine-month-long war and at the cost of the supreme sacrifice of three million martyrs and the honour of nearly half a million mothers and sisters, Bangladesh finally gained its freedom as an independent country on this glorious day, December 16, 1971 with the surrender of Pakistani occupation forces.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said that the BNP's Dhaka rally has failed and the party has been 'half-defeated' through it. He said this at a public meeting of Dhaka District Awami League (AL) at Savar’s Radio Colony School and College Ground on Saturday. “BNP wanted to hold their rally at Naya Paltan. They’ve been half-defeated by not being able to do so. They took preparations for hosting a picnic in the name of rally long before getting permission from police. This was proved after police found sacks of rice, lentils and cooking pots inside their Nayapaltan office,” Quader said. Quader, also the General Secretary of the ruling AL, blamed BNP for Wednesday’s clash in his speech. Read: BNP rally: Passengers suffer as movement of vehicles, launches remain suspended “It was the BNP activists who attacked the police first. Will police sit idle when they are attacked? We know who are financing BNP to create this type of violence. We’ll take necessary steps against them when the time comes,” Quader added. Quader further said that the decision of seven BNP members of parliament (MP) to resign from their posts will prove to be a big mistake. “Don’t think that the parliament will become ineffective because of these resignations. Besides, now we know the lobbyist who had persuaded the United States to put sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion. His name is Toby Cadman. The secret has been revealed. BNP will have to pay the price for these mistakes,” Quader said. Read: BNP urges start of ‘simultaneous anti-govt movement’ on Dec 24 DUring the war crimes trial, senior Jamaat-e-Islami leaders accused, convicted and later executed for war crimes and crimes against humanity in 1971 engaged Toby Cadman as a London-based legal advisor. The meeting in Savar was presided over by Hasina Doula, President of Savar Upazila Awami League. Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman, AL’s Presidium Members Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Kamrul Islam, among others, were present during the meeting.

Public transports were seemingly off Dhaka roads this morning, ahead of BNP’s last divisional rally in the capital city. No public transport was seen plying the roads since morning; only some CNG-run auto-rickshaws were seen. BNP is ready to hold its 10th divisional rally at Golapbagh field in the capital and thousands of leaders and activists of the party have thronged the rally venue. Read More: BNP leaders, activists gathering at Golapbagh field for today’s rally

The Golapbagh field in Dhaka is now teeming with several thousand leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies today. The venue is full to the brim while the surrounding areas are also crowded. Law enforcers are on high alert to avert any kind of untoward incident centering the BNP rally. Since morning, BNP leaders and activists have been thronging the Golapbagh field with small processions from different parts of Dhaka, shouting anti-government slogans. Thousands of BNP leaders and activists reached the rally venue in advance on Friday after getting permission from Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). They started to set up the stage and make all other arrangements. The rally is scheduled to begin at 11 am. Law enforcers have taken adequate measures to maintain the law and order situation in and around the city, centering the BNP rally, and check-posts have been set up at all entry points of Dhaka. Some 32,000 police have been deployed in the city to maintain law and order. Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Hafiz Akter, said, “A huge number of law enforcement personnel have been deployed in the city. Alongside, tight security is being ensured at key point installations. Police have strengthened their surveillance so that no one can create any chaos. It is hoped that the BNP rally will be held peacefully.” Also read: BNP set to hold rally in Dhaka to start simultaneous anti-govt movement Alongside police and Rab, Ansar members have also been deployed in different parts of the city to avert any untoward incident over the rally. A total of 4,000 Ansar members have been deployed in the capital ahead of BNP's rally, said Md Kamrul Islam, director (Operations) of Ansar VDP. Meanwhile, no buses, trucks and other vehicles were seen plying on the road while a few CNG-run auto-rickshaws and rickshaws were seen. BNP wanted to hold the rally at Nayapaltan in front of its central office, but the government first gave the party permission to arrange the programme at Suhrawardy Udyan. BNP, however, refused to hold the rally there. Also read: BNP leaders, activists gathering at Golapbagh field for today’s rally The rally in Dhaka city will be the 10th at the divisional level as nine others were held in Rajshahi, Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal, Faridpur, Sylhet and Cumilla.  

BNP leaders and activists are gathering at the Golapbagh field with small processions from different parts of Dhaka, shouting anti-government slogans, since this morning (December 10, 2022). Thousands of BNP leaders and activists reached the rally venue in advance on Friday (December 09, 2022) after getting permission from Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). They started to set up the stage and make all other arrangements. The rally is scheduled to begin today 11 am. Also read: BNP set to hold rally in Dhaka to start simultaneous anti-govt movement Law enforcers have taken adequate measures to maintain the law and order situation in and around the city, centering the BNP rally, and check-posts have been set up at all entry points of Dhaka. Alongside police and Rab, Ansar members have also been deployed in different parts of the city to avert any untoward incident over the rally. A total of 4,000 Ansar members have been deployed in the capital ahead of BNP's rally, said Md Kamrul Islam, director (Operations) of Ansar VDP. Meanwhile, no buses, trucks and other vehicles were seen plying on the road while a few CNG-run auto-rickshaws and rickshaws were seen. BNP wanted to hold the rally at Nayapaltan in front of its central office, but the government first gave the party permission to arrange the programme at Suhrawardy Udyan. BNP, however, refused to hold the rally there. Read More: DSCC gives permission to BNP to hold rally at Golapbagh field BNP's rally in Dhaka city will be their 10th at the divisional level as nine others were held in Rajshahi, Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal, Faridpur, Sylhet and Cumilla.

BNP on Friday called upon the Dhaka city dwellers to spontaneously join their party’s rally in Golapbagh field peacefully to give the government a befitting reply to its efforts to foil a democratic programme. “We will hold the programme in Dhaka peacefully as we did in nine other divisional cities. We call upon people from all walks of life to participate in our programme spontaneously,” said Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, a former cabinet minister and the most senior member of the BNP's standing committee. He was speaking at a press conference held at the party chairperson's Gulshan office following a virtual meeting of the leaders of the BNP standing committee. Mosharraf said their party will start the rally at 11am on Saturday on the Golapbagh ground as Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has already given permission to use the venue. He alleged that the government has created unnecessary chaos over giving the party permission for the venue to hold Saturday’s rally and bought time with an evil motive to foil the programme. The BNP leader also said the government resorted to violence at Nayapaltan on Wednesday and arrested many party leaders and activists and caused injuries to many others to spread panic among the people so that they don’t join the rally. “We believe people will give a befitting reply to the government’s evil efforts by spontaneously joining the rally on Saturday,” he said. Mosharraf, however, sought cooperation from the police in ensuring security for the rally and cooperation for holding it peacefully. Demand for immediate release of Mirza Fakhrul, Abbas and other party leaders-activists Mosharraf strongly condemned and protested the arrest of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas in the dead of night. Read: BNP’s Dec 10 rally finally to be held at Golapbagh ground “The arrest of Fakhrul and Abbas is an extreme manifestation of the government’s fascist character.” He demanded the government immediately release the two top leaders and all other party leaders and activists who were arrested involving the rally on Saturday. Mosharraf hoped that a mass wave will be created towards their rally as it is going to be held braving various obstacles, repressive acts and arrests of many party leaders and activists. “It’s a programme of people and they’ll make it a success, no matter how many BNP leaders are being arrested.” 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 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. The party has already arranged rallies in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal,  Faridpur, Sylhet, Cumilla and Rajshahi 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. The party is going to conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city tomorrow (Saturday) which coincides with International Human Rights Day. New programmes to be announced Mosharraf said from their rally, they will announce a 10-point demand for ensuring the fall of the Awami League government. “We have already discussed the points of the movement with those who are ready for waging a simultaneous movement with us. We hope they will simultaneously announce the 10 points—that we have formulated-- from their respective positions,” he said. Read: Mirza Fakhrul, Mirza Abbas picked up by detectives: BNP Mosharraf hoped that all parties who reach an understanding with them to initiate a simultaneous movement—will move forward and intensify the anti-government agitation based on the points of the movement to be declared from the rally.  Earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) permitted the party to hold their rally at Golapbagh. BNP vice chairman Dr AZM Zahid Hossain disclosed the matter to the media after a meeting with Chief of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Harun Or Rashid on Friday noon. The DB chief also assured the delegation of ensuring security measures at the venue and asked to take preparations to hold the rally in Golapbagh ground, said Zahid. BNP in the early hours on Friday claimed that plainclothes police picked up Fakhrul and Abbas from their homes in separate raids in Dhaka. Earlier on Thursday night, a BNP delegation had a six-hour meeting with the DMP commissioner where they talked about holding the rally on Saturday (December 10) either at Kamalapur Stadium or Mirpur Bangla College ground. Later, Abbas with some BNP leaders visited the two venues. At that meeting, police authorities assured of reopening the BNP office at Nayapaltan, however, the area remained under police control since Friday morning. On Wednesday, a Swechchasebak Dal leader was killed and around 50 others were injured in a clash between police and the BNP activists in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office ahead of its December 10 rally. Following the clash, police raided the BNP office and arrested around 300 party leaders and activists from there.

After holding a meeting for two hours with Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Khondker Golam Faruk on Thursday night, BNP leaders are yet to decide where they will hold their upcoming divisional rally in Dhaka—Kamlapur Stadium or Mirpur Bangla College Ground. After the meeting, BNP Vice President Barkat Ullah Bulu told UNB that they were going to visit the two venues and will finalise their decision about holding the rally in any of the venues in consultation with their party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and the standing committee members. Read: Nayapaltan clash: 445 BNP activists including Rizvi, Annie sent to jail, 2 get bail “We’re now going to visit the two venues and if we can choose any one of them then we’ll talk to our party senior leaders,” Bulu said. Bulu said that they also discussed with DMP authorities about Wednesday’s police action, raid at their party office and arrest of their party leaders and activists. “We told them (DMP officials) to reopen our office and they (Police) said that the office will be reopened and BNP leaders and activists can go there,” Bulu added. The BNP leader further said that they raised the issue of the release of their arrested party leaders during the meeting. In return, DMP officials said that two of the arrested leaders have already received bail and police won’t file remand prayers against the rest and the arrested BNP leaders may get bail soon. Earlier, a six-member BNP delegation led by Bulu went to the DMP Commissioner’s office and held the meeting. The BNP delegation included Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali, Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan, Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain and Barrister Kaysar Kamal. Read: No rally to be allowed on streets: Home Minister On Wednesday, police fired teargas and used batons during a clash with BNP activists at Nayapalton, leaving a man dead and 50 others injured. Police arrested over 150 BNP leaders and activists including BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, its south city unit convenor Abdus Salam, joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokon,  north city unit convener Amanullah Aman after conducting  a drive in the BNP office. The clash broke out around 3 pm when slogan-chanting BNP leaders and activists took position outside the party office and defied police order to leave the place, witnesses said.