Awami League and the BNP to march city streets today-tomorrow

With the national polls around six months away, the Awami League and the BNP are going to hold programmes and counter-programmes today and tomorrow to show off their strength on the streets.

The BNP will today march from Gabtoli to Jatrabari from 10:00am to 4:00pm in the capital and bring out processions in other cities and districts to realise its one-point demand for polls under a non-party interim government.

Sources in the BNP said instructions were given to all Dhaka north and South city units to ensure huge gatherings. To counter BNP's programme, ruling Awami league will bring out what it termed "a march for peace and development" in the capital.

At 3:00pm today, Dhaka city (South) AL will bring out a procession from Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, that will end at Dhanmondi 32. AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader will join the programme. The unit is planning to gather over a lakh people in the event.

Besides, all city and districts units under Rajshahi, Chattogram, Barishal and Sylhet will bring out processions on the same time. The next day, opposition BNP will also march from Uttara's Abdullahpur to Bahadur Shah Park in the Old Dhaka from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Party sources said the road march programmes are for ensuring participation of the common people, adding that the fresh programmes will be announced after observing the marches. On the other hand, AL leaders and activists will start marching from Satrasta intersection of Tejgaon to Mohakhali at 3:00pm.

They will also bring out processions in cities and districts under Rangpur, Dhaka, Khulna and Mymensingh divisions. At its rally on July 12, the BNP announced that it would march in all city and district headquarters on July 18-19. Later, the AL decided to counter its archrival BNP's programmes.

Besides the processions, leaders and activists of 24 thanas and 75 wards under Dhaka south unit AL and 26 thanas, 63 wards and one union under Dhaka north unit AL will be at the party offices concerned from the morning on both days and they will be on the lookout for anyone trying to create any unwanted situation.

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