Dhaka City unit BNP convener Mirza Abbas on Wednesday said they are expecting the largest-ever gathering at their chairperson Khaleda Zia’s May Day rally in the city on Sunday.
“Don’t think it’ll be only a rally of Sramik Dal. We need to keep it in mind that it’s the rally of Khaleda Zia…we’ll ensure the largest-ever gathering at it,” he told a joint meeting of Dhaka city unit BNP. Dhaka, UNB news agency reported.
BNP’s labour wing Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal has already sought permission from Public Works Department and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Sunday, marking the May Day. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled to address it as the chief guest. DMP has not yet given permission for the programme.
Khaleda had her last meeting at Suhrawardy Udyan on January 20, 2014, 15 days after the 10th parliamentary elections.
Abbas, also a BNP standing committee member, asked all the party leaders and workers at all wards of the city to work hard for ensuring huge participation of people in it and thus show the government its strength.
He said the though the current government does not believe in democracy, it has been in office wearing a mask of democracy by resorting to killings and enforced disappearances.
Accusing the government of indulging in massive vote frauds in all the local boy elections, the BNP leader said it has ensured the victory of the ruling party candidates in city, upazila, municipal and current union parishad polls resorting to’ massive’ vote rigging.
He alleged that the government is suppressing BNP and torturing its leaders and activists only to cling to power. “But, I want to clearly say BNP is not a party to be eliminated by oppression and suppression.”
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, chairperson’s adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo, BNP joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, organising secretary Abdus Salam Azad and ex-Dhaka City unit BNP members secretary Abdus Salam were, among others, present at the meeting.
