Online Desk  :  Thousands of leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate bodies have gathered in front of the party’s central office at Nayapaltan in Dhaka on Friday, to join the procession, marking ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’. Carrying banners, festoons, and portraits of the party’s top leaders, they chanted slogans demanding elections and the withdrawal of cases against senior party leaders, including Tarique Rahman. The procession begins from 3PM from the BNP’s central office.

Sources said that since noon, BNP leaders and activists have started to gather at Nayapaltan from different parts of Dhaka city to participate in the massive showdown. Streets and alleys from Bijoynagar to Fakirerpool were packed with BNP supporters, causing traffic disruption in the area. According to the press release of the party, the procession will parade towards Kakrail Mosque, Matsya Bhaban, Engineering Institute, Shahbagh intersection, Hotel InterContinental, Banglamotor crossing, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, and will end at the Manik Mia Avenue.

Senior BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will briefly address the crowd before the rally begins. The event will conclude with a virtual address by the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman. Besides, programme will be held in divisional cities to commemorate National Revolution and Solidarity Day, where central BNP leaders will be present. BNP leaders said this will be a massive procession that will make history.  Earlier on October 31, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, announced the schedule at a press conference at the party’s central office in Nayapaltan. It is part of a 10-day programme unveiled by BNP to observe the occasion.

On 7 November 1975, amid political turmoil soldiers and civilians jointly freed the then Chief of Army Staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka Cantonment, paving the way for him to come to power.