Khaleda to address Paltan rally on Sept 27
The main opposition BNP will hold a rally in the capital's Paltan Maidan on September 27 to demand the ruling coalition leave office and give way to parliamentary polls under a non-partisan caretaker administration.
“Chairperson Khaleda Zia will deliver an important speech at the rally and declare the next course of anti-government action,” Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of BNP, said at a press conference at its central office in the capital.
No senior members of the party were present at the briefing.
Fakhrul said Khaleda Zia at the rally is likely to declare programmes like road marches and demonstrations.
Khaleda Zia, also the leader of the opposition in the House, is expected to lead road marches towards seven divisional headquarters from early next month, party sources say.
She might also visit at least 19 districts to attend more than a hundred public meetings in an attempt to drum up support for the BNP-led anti-government movement.
Since the 2008 electoral debacle, the September 27 rally will be BNP's first mass gathering where leaders of the four-party alliance and like-minded parties will deliver speeches.
Urging all to attend the rally, Fakhrul said the fall of the Awami League government has now become essential and that is why BNP wants a fresh election under a caretaker system.
Responding to a question, Fakhrul said the party had already sought permission from the authorities concerned to stage the rally at the venue around 2:00pm.
“If permission is not granted, the venue of the rally will be shifted to the party's central office,” he said, alleging the government hinders democratic practices by obstructing the meetings of the opposition in public places.
Bangladesh Kalyan Party has agreed to attend the BNP's rally aiming to strengthen the movement for restoration of caretaker government system.
Party chairman Maj Gen (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim gave his consent last night during a meeting with Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office.
BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Kalyan Party Secretary General Abdul Malek Chowdhury were present in the meeting.
“Inshallah, we will attend the rally. As a freedom fighter I will always stand beside the people. I think caretaker government system is urgent for continuation of healthy democratic practices,” Ibrahim told The Daily Star last night.
BNP chairperson's media wing member Shairul Kabir Khan said the meeting discussed the country's latest political situation and as per the discussion, Kalyan Party leaders and workers will attend the September 27 rally.
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