BNP brings out colourful victory day rally in Dhaka

BNP rally in Dhaka.
Sazid Hossain

Vowing afresh to "awaken people for the restoration of democracy", BNP on Sunday took out a colourful rally in Dhaka city, marking the 51st Victory Day, reports UNB.

Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies started gathering in front of its Nayapaltan central office and its adjacent areas with small processions since Sunday noon, causing traffic congestion and public sufferings.

Led by their central leaders, the party followers joined the rally carrying the national flag, placards, banners and portraits of party top leaders. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the rally at around 2:30pm in front of the party's central office.

It moved towards Shantinagar from Nayapaltan amid tight security. In the rally, BNP leaders and activists shouted slogans demanding their party chairperson Khaleda's treatment abroad.

In a brief speech before starting the rally, Fakhrul said the current government has shattered all the hopes and aspirations and the spirit of the liberation war to establish a one-party Baksal rule 'usurping' the state power.

"Today's rally is for awaking people afresh and waging a new struggle for the restoration of democracy," he said. Fakhrul also renewed their party's demand for allowing their ailing party Chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for advanced treatment.

He urged the party leaders and activists to conclude the programme peacefully and maintain discipline. After parading different roads through Bijoynagar, Kakrail and Shantinagar, the rally ended at Nayapaltan at around 3:50pm.