Dhaka: The main opposition BNP on Monday announced that it would hold a rally in front of its Nayapaltan party headquarters on Wednesday to push for restoration of the caretaker government system and release of detained leaders.

The party has already applied for the government permission for the rally despite the Home Minister’s verbal ban on public meetings and rallies in the capital city.

BNP chairperson’s adviser Shamsuzzaman Dudu said the party has already sought permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities to hold the programme.

The rally will be held in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office at 3:00pm, protesting the issuance of arrest warrant against party’s senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, and all mass killings and demanding the restoration of the caretaker government system, said a party press release.

The rally is also meant for the opposition’s other demands for the release of all opposition leaders and activists and withdrawal of all “false” cases filed against them, arrest and trial of the corrupt, and resignation of the ‘failed and incompetent’ repressive regime.

The press release signed by BNP assistant office secretary Abdul Latif Jhony urged the people from all walks of life, including leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies, to make the programme a success.

On May 12, the BNP-led 18-party was to hold a rally at the same place but it was moved to May 15 as the DMP denied permission for it.

The alliance also failed to hold the rally on May 15 as the authorities further denied it permission to stage it citing security grounds.

A week later, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir at a programme in Chittagong said all types of public rally and meeting will remain banned for a month.

The opposition parties have been alleging that the government is not allowing them to hold any rally since the Home Minister’s verbal restriction though the government did not issue any official order imposing any restriction on holding rallies and meetings.

Ends/MH/AMA/10/06/13