BNP organises protest rally at Press Club

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been holding a rally protesting against the decision to revoke the gallantry title the state conferred on the party founder and former president Ziaur Rahman and also against the prison sentences of the party’s acting vice-chairman Tarique Rahman and other leaders.

De facto opposition party BNP on Thursday organised the rally in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka as Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (Jamuka), the national platform of the Freedom Fighters, decided to revoke the gallantry title ‘Bir Uttam’ awarded to Ziaur Rahman in its 72nd meeting on Tuesday. Bir Uttam is the second highest award in Bangladesh for individual gallantry.

A large number of BNP leaders and activists took part in the protest rally. A huge traffic jam has been created in the area due to the rally. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has deployed a large number of its force to thwart any untoward incident.

BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and other leaders joined the rally.

BNP leaders alleged that a plot has been taken up to obliterate the name of their leader Ziaur Rahman.

They also alleged that the government has condemned Tarique Rahman, BNP’s publication affairs secretary and former MP Habibul Islam, 34 leaders and activists from Satkhira and 47 activists from Pabna and sent the commerce affairs secretary Salahuddin Ahmed to jail unjustly.