BNP activists start gathering in front of Nayapaltan office

Leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) started gathering in front of the party's Nayapaltan office ahead of the grand rally today (28 July).

The activists started gathering in the early hours. The grand rally is scheduled to begin at 2pm. BNP sources said the party will start the rally after Friday prayers.

Meanwhile, BNP leaders and activists took out processions with banners and posters in many Dhaka parts, including Kakrail, Shantinagar, Malibagh, Purana Paltan and Motijheel.

Law enforcement forces have beefed up their stop-and-search operations at various entry points to the capital ahead of massive rallies by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), three associate organisations of Bangladesh Awami League and other political parties scheduled for today.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel set up a check post in Gabtoli on Friday (28 July) morning. RAB personnel on duty told The Business Standard (TBS) they were stopping and checking any vehicle if it looked suspicious.

"We have set up a check post here since 8:30am. We stop any suspicious vehicles and release them after checking. No arrests have been made since morning. We are checking whether there are any explosives or drugs. This is not to harass anyone or for any other purpose," they said.

In the capital's Abdullahpur, police were seen checking buses and other vehicles. Some police personnel checked people's mobiles. If anything suspicious was found on the mobiles, they were seizing it.

BNP announced this grand rally from its youth rally on 22 July. The rally was primarily scheduled to take place on Thursday (27 July). But Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) did not permit the party to hold a rally on the road during a working day.

After much uncertainty and drama, the opposition BNP got the DMP permission to hold a rally in front of the party's Nayapaltan headquarters on Friday.

Meanwhile, the ruling Awami League's front organisations Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League and Chhatra League, also got the nod for a "peace rally" at the Baitul Mukarram's South Gate the same day. The Awami League rally is scheduled to begin at 3pm.

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