JCD shifts rally venue, allowing NCP to hold event at Shaheed Minar

The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) today stepped aside from holding its August 3 rally at the Central Shaheed Minar, despite having secured prior permission, to make way for a parallel event organised by the National Citizen Party (NCP).

"However, in light of NCP's appeal, we have chosen to relocate our event to Shahbagh on the same day," JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib said at an emergency press conference today at the BNP's central office in Nayapaltan.

"We intended to hold our rally at Shaheed Minar to minimise public inconvenience, and we had obtained formal approval," he said.

Rakib expressed regret over the shift, acknowledging that Shahbagh, one of Dhaka's busiest intersections, might cause public disruption.

"This is our message of peace and co-existence in against instigation," Rakib said.

The JCD had earlier announced a month-long series of events marking the anniversary of the July uprising, with a student rally scheduled at Shaheed Minar on August 3.

Subsequently, the NCP declared its nationwide "March for July", culminating in a rally at the same venue and on the same date.