The BNP has moved up its road march in the capital city by a day, deciding to organise the programme on February 17 instead of February 18 ‘due to unavoidable reasons’. BNP acting office secretary Syed Imran Saleh announced the decision of the party at a press conference at its Nayapaltan central office on Tuesday. He, however, said the date for staging a similar programme in all other metropolitan cities—Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Cumilla, Faridpur, Narayanganj and Gazipur-- remains February 18 as per the previous announcement of the party.“Our party earlier announced to organise marches in all metropolitan cities on February 18 (Saturday). The date of the programme in the capital has been rescheduled for some unavoidable reasons,” Prince said. As per the changed schedule, he said BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units will march on February 17 (Friday) separately at 2:30 pm. Also read: Now BNP announces march in divisional cities on Feb 18 Prince called upon the leaders, activists and supporters of BNP and its associate bodies in all thanas and wards under the metropolitan cities to take full preparation for making their march programme a success with their spontaneous participation and thus intensify the movement for realsing the party’s 10-point demand and protesting the public suffering. Earlier on Sunday last, BNP Standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain announced that their party leaders and activists will march in all metropolitan cities, including the capital, on February 18 (Saturday) to press home their 10-point demand, including the resignation of the government, dissolution of parliament and holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government. He made the announcement while launching BNP Dhaka north city unit’s road march towards the capital's Bosila from Shyamoli. The fresh programme is also meant for registering the party’s protest against the unbridled price hikes in power and gas, and all daily essentials, including rice, lentils, oil, flour and salt and the government’s repressive acts. BNP’s like-minded parties and alliances that have been carrying out the simultaneous movement will observe a similar programme in all cities as per the changed date. Earlier, leaders and activists of the party’s Dhaka north and south city units observed the march programme on January 28, 31, 30 and February 1, respectively, to push for their 10-point demand. The party also organised a march programme in all unions across the country on Saturday last amid the allegations of attacks and obstruction by the ruling party activists and law enforcers.

BNP on Monday announced a fresh countrywide programme for January 25 to press home their 10-point demand, including polls under a caretaker government. BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain came up with the announcement from their party’s rally at Nayapaltan in the capital. The programme will be observed in all metropolitan cities and district headquarters, he said. “A BaKSAL regime was introduced on January 25, 1975 and democracy was destroyed. That’s why BNP will hold a countrywide rally in all cities and districts on January 25 to press home their 10-point demands including resignation of the government, election under the caretaker government, and release of Khaleda Zia and all BNP leaders,” he said. Earlier, in the day, the leaders and activists of BNP and other like-minded opposition parities observed a rally and procession in Nayapaltan area to press home their 10-point demand and to protest the government’s power price hike plan. The programme was observed in all metropolitan cities, districts towns, upazilas and municipality headquarters simultaneously. Earlier, on January 11, BNP announced a countrywide rally and procession programme for January 16. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programmes from their party’s sit-in programme at Nayapaltan in the capital. Also read: BNP, like-minded parties announce countrywide rally, procession on Jan 16 On January 11, BNP and its associate bodies observed a mass-sit in programme at Nayapaltan. Apart from BNP, Ganatantra Mancha observed a similar programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club while the 12-Party Alliance near Bijoy Nagar Water Tank, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote at Purana Paltan, LDP at FDC Crossing and Ganatantrik Bam Oikya in the east side of the Jatiya Press Club and Gonoforum (Montu) at Arambagh and separately announced the rally and procession programme across the country for January 16. As part of the simultaneous movement, BNP and other like-minded opposition parties, alliances and organisations observed the sit-in programme in different areas of the capital and nine other divisions in the country to realise their 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government. END/UNB/MAS-ARJ/KW

BNP will celebrate the 85th birth anniversary of its founder Ziaur Rahman on Tuesday.

BNP has decided to mark the seventh anniversary of the 10th parliament election day-- January 5, 2014--by hoisting flags at its offices across the country on Tuesday.