Awami League is all set to hold peace rallies at unions across the country on Saturday, apparently to counter the BNP’s march programme.
The ruling party earlier kept its counter programmes limited in the capital city, but now expanded it to the grassroots level. The party laid emphasis on the programme and moved its central leaders to the unions in 40 districts. They will attend at least one rally in their designated districts on Saturday.
The party issued a release on Friday with the announcement of the peace rally. It said a peace rally will be held at the union level as part of its year-long programme ahead of the 12th national election and to protest the anarchy and conspirational politics by the evil forces of BNP-Jamaat.
Central, district, city, upazila unit leaders along with local public representatives will attend the rallies, added the release.
According to sources, Awami League took the decision to hold the peace rally as a countermeasure after the BNP announced the march programme at the union level. It informally prepared a list of central leaders who will attend the union-level programmes in 40 districts.
In most cases, the central leaders have been instructed to attend rallies in their respective districts.
There are a total of 76 organisational districts of Awami League. The central leaders have been moved to 40 districts while the local leaders and parliamentarians will take care of the remaining districts.
SM Kamal Hossain, organising secretary of Awami League, told Prothom Alo that he would attend rallies in Khulna.
The selected leaders, according to sources, have been instructed to stay in their designated districts, unless they are sick or abroad. They will attend at least one rally and monitor the overall situation of the district.
The partymen have been asked to bring out processions from all wards and hold a rally in a common place fixed by the local leaders.
Several responsible leaders, on the condition of anonymity, said the central leaders, ministers, and parliamentarians normally visit their constituencies on Friday and Saturday. They will now prepare for the elections and keep the BNP under pressure through the programmes.