Shawdesh Desk:

The pre-scheduled rally of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has begun in front of its Naya Paltan central office in Dhaka Wednesday afternoon.

Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associated organisations have joined the rally as part of their simultaneous movement with other opposition political parties to press home their demand for resignation of the government, dissolving the parliament and holding the next general election under a neutral government.

The rally began at about 2:00pm through recitation from the Qur’an.

Though the rally was scheduled to begin at 2:00pm, leaders and activists from different parts of the country, especially from different corners of Dhaka city, started to gather in Naya Paltan area with processions since morning.

They joined the rally with processions and carrying banners and posters reading their demands and portraits of the party founder Ziaur Rahman, chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

A temporary stage was set up in front of the BNP central officer at Naya Paltan.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has attended the rally as the chief guest. He is expected to announce new movement programmes from the rally.

Dhaka City South BNP convener Abdus Salam has been presiding over the rally and Dhaka City North BNP member secretary Aminul Haque and south BNP acting member secretary Liton Mahmud have been conducting it.

Police personnel were also seen alert in Naya Paltan area.