BNP’s big day in AL stronghold

Even though the Faridpur district is almost cut off from the rest of the country, thousands of BNP leaders and activists from nearby districts have been pouring in since Thursday to stage a massive rally today in the Awami League stronghold.

Faridpur and its neighbouring districts Gopalganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur, and Rajbari are known as strongholds of the ruling AL.

BNP leaders said despite the transport strike and all other odds and obstacles, tens of thousands of party men will take part in the rally to send a message to the ruling party.

"Due to the government's misrule, Faridpur is no longer an Awami League stronghold, and our rally will prove it," Shama Obaid, organising secretary (Dhaka division) of the BNP and also the coordinator of the rally, told The Daily Star yesterday.

Party men set up tents at the Abdul Aziz Institute ground, the venue for the rally, and were seen cooking food yesterday as they planned to spend the night there.

The organisers have already built a temporary stage at the venue and decorated the areas around it with banners and festoons.

To keep the party men energised, Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas) held cultural performances in the venue.

The BNP is holding rallies in divisional cities to protest the price hike of essentials and fuel, the recent killings of five party men in police firings, filing of politically motivated cases against party men, and also demanding release of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Gazi Monir from Gopalganj's Kashiani told The Daily Star that he didn't hold a party post, but decided to attend the rally because he believed a change of government would improve the current situation.

"Life has become very difficult, and it's now almost impossible to survive as the prices of essentials are skyrocketing.

"The ruling party brought out a procession in the town today [yesterday] to thwart our programme. However, despite their plan, thousands of BNP leaders and activists will participate in the rally," he added.

Meanwhile, AL leaders said their rally was part of a protest against the BNP's previous efforts to destabilise the country through carrying out various subversive activities like arson and vandalism.

Over 8,000 leaders and activists from Faridpur district AL and its associate bodies brought out the procession from Sheikh Russell Square and it headed towards Brahmo Samaj Road, where they held a rally in the afternoon.

Speaking at the event, Shamim Haque, president of Faridpur district AL, said, "We the soldiers of Sheikh Hasina believe in peace. We will not obstruct the BNP's rally. Rather, we will help the administration so that it can be held successfully."

He said the AL would stay alert and foil any attempts to create chaos in Faridpur town.

Sumon Ranjan Sarkar, additional superintendent of police in Faridpur, told reporters that police patrol was increased in the town to maintain law and order.

Besides, police yesterday set up check posts at various entries to the town, including Rajbari junction, and the intersections of the Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Barishal highways.

Meanwhile, commuters in Faridpur town suffered yesterday amid the 38-hour bus-minibus strike which began in the morning.

On November 7, Faridpur transport leaders and workers announced the strike, demanding a ban on three-wheelers on highways.

Similar strikes were enforced ahead of the BNP's recent rallies in Barishal, Mymensingh, Khulna, and Rangpur as well.