18-party rally begins
Star Online Report
Hundreds of leaders and activists of the BNP-led
18-party alliance gathered at Suhrawardy Udyan this afternoon as the
alliance is holding a rally there to "thank people for boycotting" the
January 5 polls.
The rally began around 1:00pm with the speeches of mid-level leaders of the alliance but no Jamaat-Shibir men are present there.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled to reach the venue at 3:00pm.
The leaders and activists were seen going to the venue in processions and holding posters and festoons in their hands.
Usually the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of the alliance, and Islami Chhatra Shibir dominated the opposition's rallies but no Jamaat-Shibir leader or activist was seen during today's rally.
The Jamaat-e-Islami may not take part in the rally as BNP is trying to distance itself with the party as it has been blamed for the recent violence across the country, Hamadullah Al Mehedi, secretary general of Bangladesh Labour Party which is a component of the combine, told The Daily Star.
Today's rally is part of the opposition alliance's series of "peaceful" programmes that Khaleda announced on January 15.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police has given permission to hold the rally.
Similar rallies are expected to take place across the country today to "thank people for boycotting" the January 5 polls.
This will be her second public address since October 25 last year, when she issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to realise the opposition demand for holding the election under a nonparty caretaker government.
The rally began around 1:00pm with the speeches of mid-level leaders of the alliance but no Jamaat-Shibir men are present there.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled to reach the venue at 3:00pm.
The leaders and activists were seen going to the venue in processions and holding posters and festoons in their hands.
Usually the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of the alliance, and Islami Chhatra Shibir dominated the opposition's rallies but no Jamaat-Shibir leader or activist was seen during today's rally.
The Jamaat-e-Islami may not take part in the rally as BNP is trying to distance itself with the party as it has been blamed for the recent violence across the country, Hamadullah Al Mehedi, secretary general of Bangladesh Labour Party which is a component of the combine, told The Daily Star.
Today's rally is part of the opposition alliance's series of "peaceful" programmes that Khaleda announced on January 15.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police has given permission to hold the rally.
Similar rallies are expected to take place across the country today to "thank people for boycotting" the January 5 polls.
This will be her second public address since October 25 last year, when she issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to realise the opposition demand for holding the election under a nonparty caretaker government.
Published: 2:50 pm Monday, January 20, 2014
Last modified: 3:08 pm Monday, January 20, 2014
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