Awami League having nightmares over Dec 10 rally : Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that the government is having nightmares over the December 10 rally in Dhaka.

'We want to hold a rally at Nayapaltan peacefully on December 10. But they (AL) have lost sleep in fear of losing their power. They themselves are saying that their thrones will be overturned,” he said.

Speaking at a massive rally, the BNP leader also BNP had many rallies at Nayapaltan, even in presence of party chairperson Khaleda Zia, earlier without any chaos.

“You (AL) know you’ve committed many misdeeds. You have no confidence in people. So, you are also sacred and having nightmares that Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman are coming (to power),” he observed.

As part of the party’s divisional programme, BNP’s Rajshahi city unit arranged the rally on Rajshahi Madrasa ground in the city.

Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies from eight districts under the division participated in the rally.

Read: Locals complain of internet service disruption around BNP rally venue in Rajshahi

The leaders and activists from Natore, Bogura, Pabna, Sirajganj, Naogaon, Joypurhat and Chapainawabganj started arriving at the rally venue in processions since morning, braving transport strikes.

Law enforcers took adequate measures to maintain the law and order situation in and around the city centering the rally and set up check-posts at all entry points.

The bus communication remained halted between Rajshahi and other parts of the country since Thursday morning,

BNP activists from the districts under the divisions came to the city by train, trucks, boats and other vehicles like human haulers, auto rickshaws, three-wheelers, motorbikes, and micro-buses from Wednesday.

Transport owners and workers enforced the strike in eight districts under the Rajshahi division for an indefinite period from Thursday, causing immense suffering to commuters.

Besides, the Rajshahi auto-rickshaw owners association also enforced an indefinite strike on Friday afternoon. BNP leaders alleged that the strikes are meant for obstructing mass waves toward their rally.

The rally in Rajshahi was the 9th one by BNP at the divisional level as eight others were held in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal and Faridpur, Sylhet and Cumilla.

A similar strike was also enforced ahead of BNP’s divisional rallies in Sylhet, Faridpur, Barishal, Rangpur and Khulna, but thousands of party leaders, activists and supporters participated in the rallies overcoming the obstacles.

As part of the move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities. The party will conclude the divisional programmes by holding its last rally in Dhaka on December 10.

The organisers said the rallies are meant to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.