AL, BNP take to city streets today

The Awami League and its associate bodies will hold programmes across the capital today, countering the BNP’s pre-scheduled road march.

Dhaka’s north and south units of the BNP will bring out processions around 2:30pm to press home its 10 demands that include the next national election under a non-partisan caretaker government.

On the other hand, the ruling AL will hold programmes at 3:00pm and 4:00pm protesting “terror and anarchy of the BNP”.

According to the BNP’s Dhaka (north) unit, they will bring out their procession from Uttara’s Jasim Uddin Intersection and march through Gausul Azam Avenue, Shah Makhdum Avenue and Sonargaon Janapath before ending at Abdullahpur Bus Stand.

The BNP’s Dhaka (south) unit said they would bring out their procession from Gopibagh’s Brothers Union Club Ground and march through Tikatuli, Dayaganj, and Dholaikhal before finishing it at Nayabazar.

Meanwhile, the AL’s Dhaka (north) unit will hold a rally protesting the “terror and anarchy of the BNP'” in front of Alhaj Mockbul Hossain University College in Mohammadpur at 3:00pm.

Around the same time, the Jubo League’s Dhaka (south) unit will organise a protest rally which will be followed by a procession in front of the AL’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue.

Dhaka (north) unit will hold a similar programme at 4:00pm in front of Ananda Cinema Hall in Farmgate.

According to the AL insiders, the party leaders think the BNP and like-minded parties may occupy the streets of the capital with a large number of people at some stage of their ongoing anti-government movement.

If they succeed to do so, the party will launch a continuous programme demanding the resignation of the government, they added.

Fearing this, the AL took the decision to hold counter programmes during every BNP programme until the next national election, a member of the AL’s central committee told The Daily Star, seeking anonymity.