The leaders and activists of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are thronging in front of their central office in the capital’s Naya Paltan area to join the mass sit-in programme.
The BNP has called the mass sit-in programmes in 10 divisional cities (including the organisational divisions). The programme started with recitation from the Holy Quran at 10.30 am on Wednesday.
Several parties and alliances led by the BNP have been organising a simultaneous movement since December with a 10-point demand, including the resignation of the current government, dissolution of current (11th) parliament and a fair election under a non-partisan and neutral government.
Today’s mass sit-in programme is the second initiative under this simultaneous movement.
The police gave BNP the permission to hold the mass sit-in programme on Tuesday evening.
BNP and other opposition parties will have to hold the programme without blocking the roads. The police have asked them to hold the programme on footpaths to avoid public suffering.
The BNP leaders said they would take position on one side of the road up to the road divider. It was seen in the Naya Paltan area that there are sitting arrangements for the leaders and activists of the BNP and its associated bodies on one side of the roads from Fakirapool to Kakrail. Besides, a small stage has been set up in front of the BNP central office.
Meanwhile, the police are on high alert centring the programme of BNP. The members of law enforcement agency have taken position with water cannons at the Kakrail and Fakirapool intersection.
Apart from there, a number of police members have been deployed at several important points of the city.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is supposed to attend the programme as the chief guest just two days after his release on bail from the prison.
Senior members of BNP standing committee Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Mirza Abbas will also attend the programme in Dhaka.
Apart from this, at least four anti-government alliances are holding mass sit-in programmes in the capital’s National Press Club area, Bijaynagar intersection and Purana Paltan area.
Of them, leaders and activists of the seven-party alliance “Ganatantra Mancha” have taken position in front of the press club while the Left Democratic Alliance will take position in a nearby place.
The 12-party alliance leaders and activists have taken position in the water tank area in Bijaynagar, members of like-minded Nationalist Alliance in areas adjacent to the Paltan intersection, members of Liberal Democratic Party in front of their office near the FDC area and the members of Gano Forum led by Mostafa Mohsin will take position in the road adjacent to the Eden Complex in the capital’s Arambagh area, a press release on Tuesday said.
Earlier, on 30 December, BNP and other opposition parties held a mass rally with a 10-point demand, including the resignation of the government and a fair election under a non-partisan caretaker government.
Before that, BNP presented a 27-point proposal and the outline to reform the state.