BNP yet to get permission for Monday rally

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is yet to get permission for holding a rally at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan, a day before the schedule, party leaders said.

The rally is scheduled to be held at Suhrawardy Udyan on Monday to demand release of the party chairperson Khaleda Zia, now in prison after being convicted in a graft case.

"We are still waiting to get permission for the rally. All our preparations have been completed. If we get permission, we will go ahead," the BNP's senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said adding that they did not hear anything from authorities concerned till Sunday afternoon.

This is the third time the party sought permission for holding the rally after Khaleda Zia has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment.

After the conviction of the BNP chief on 8 February, the party announced a rally for 22 February. The police did not give permission on the plea of Ekushey Book Fair at Suhrawardy Udyan.

The BNP sought permission for a rally on 12 March. The police denied permission again, showing security reason.

The opposition party held a rally in Khulna on 10 March, in Chittagong on 15 March.