Ignoring obstacles BNP men leave for Rangpur rally

Ignoring various obstacles including the transport strike, the leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations were determined to attend the Rangpur divisional rally.

As the transport strike began from 6:00am this morning (October 28, 2022), the party men of Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Nilphamari left for Rangpur early in the morning to join the mass gathering.

During a visit in front of the district unit's BNP office in Thakurgaon around 12am, this correspondent observed that many activists from different areas gathered with small bags on their shoulders.

As per instructions of the leaders who were responsible for arranging transport facilities to bring activists for Rangpur, they were getting on the vehicles standing in a row, reports our Thakurgaon correspondent.

Mahabubur Rahman, president of Nargun Union of Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, said that despite various obstacles, over hundred BNP activists of his union came here spontaneously to go to Rangpur. They could not be stopped even after the shortage of vehicles.

Besides, the activists of the front organisations started for Rangpur, he said.

Abul Kashem, president of Begunbari Union unit BNP, said that thinking about the food scarcity in Rangpur, everyone from his union has taken chira (flattened rice), muri (puffed rice), jaggery in their bags, so that they do not have to think about hunger for the two days.

When asked why they were so eager to join the rally, Kashem said that they want to raise their voice strongly from the rally for the unconditional release of Khaleda Zia, and demand to get back their universal franchise of voting rights for restoring democracy.

Treasurer of the district party Md Shariful Islam said that a total of 120 vehicles including buses and trucks have left for Rangpur so far. Of those, 65 vehicles left from the party office with leaders and activists coming from different areas.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliate organisations from Panchagarh started their journey to Rangpur from last afternoon (October 27, 2022).

Leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies left Nilphamari this morning (October 28, 2022) to join the rally, reports our Nilphamari correspondent.

BNP leaders alleged that police and Chhatra League men obstructed them at Saidpur, Taraganj, Shaleasa, Paglapir, and other places.

Maruf Parvez Prince, president of district Chhatra Dal, told The Daily Star that when 50 BNP and JCD men reached near Paglapir bus stand near Rangpur around 10am, a group of BCL men stopped them there.

"Chhatra League men told us that Jamaat-Shibir members were also going to participate in the rally and asked us to drop them. At this time, they also hurled abuses at us," he added.