Online Desk: Following BNP’s postponement of today’s scheduled road march in Dhaka as a mark of respect towards victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the ruling Awami League also postponed their programmes scheduled to be held in Dhaka. “The Bangladesh government has declared one day of state mourning marking the deaths in the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. To observe the day of mourning, the peace rally programme of Dhaka City (north) unit Awami League has been postponed,” reads a press release of the AL unit, signed by William Proloy Samaddar, its office secretary.

Jubo League, the youth wing of the ruling party, also cancelled their rally which was supposed to be held in front of the AL central office in Gulistan. Deputy Office Secretary of Jubo League Delowar Shahjada confirmed this development. They, however, did not name any reason for postponing their agitation. The BNP issued a press release last night stating that today’s road march programme had been postponed considering the earthquake situation in Turkey and Syria. “The programme has been suspended to convey deep grief and sympathy as thousands of people have been killed in the terrible earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The date of this programme will be announced later,” said the press release.

BNP’s February 12 road-march programme will be held as per schedule, party insiders said. Last Tuesday, the BNP announced that their Dhaka city (south) unit would march in a silent procession from the Brothers Union Club ground in Gopibagh to the National Press Club today, while its Dhaka city (north) unit would arrange a similar programme from the Shyamoli Club ground to Basila on February 12. In response to that, AL’s Dhaka city (north) unit declared to hold a “peace rally” at Pallabi Lal Math while Jubo League’s Dhaka city (south) unit announced that they would stage another rally in front of the AL’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.