The major opposition BNP has planned a huge gathering when its holds its rally in front of the party’s central office at Nayapaltan in the capital tomorrow demanding immediate and unconditional release of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Party sources said the BNP high command has already given special instructions to the leaders of different wards of Dhaka’s north and south city units and its front and associate organisations to take good preparations to ensure the huge presence of the party men in the programme.

The BNP leaders are also holding a series of meetings with the leaders of different units and front and associate bodies to prepare for the rally.

A delegation of the BNP met Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) AKM Hafiz Akhtar at the DMP headquarters on Thursday and sought permission to hold the rally.

The delegation includes BNP Joint Secretaries General Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie and Abdus Salam Azad and Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku.

After the meeting, Annie told reporters that DMP official Hafiz Akhtar assured them of cooperation for their rally.

“The government has imprisoned BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in false cases. We’re organising a rally in Dhaka demanding her unconditional release. We hope the police will cooperate with us,” he added .

Earlier on Wednesday, BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas held a joint meeting with leaders of the recently dissolved committee of Dhaka south city unit to make their rally a success with the massive participation of the party men.

Talking to the Daily Sun, Annie said, “We’re taking enough preparations for making the rally a success. We’ve asked all units’ leaders to take preparations. We hope it’ll be a big rally.”

The BNP leader also hoped that party leaders and activists will raise their voices from the rally for the release of Khaleda and the government will be compelled to meet their demand.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will attend the programme as chief guest while Mirza Abbas will chair the rally.

BNP insiders said leaders and activists of the party and its front and associate organisations from different adjacent districts and cities like Gazipur, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Manikganj also will join the rally.

At the same time, leaders and activists of different pro-BNP professional organisations also have planned to join the rally.

Addressing a rally in front of the Nayapaltan headquarters, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said the government is hatching a plot to keep Khaleda imprisoned for long instead of giving her unconditional release.

He alleged that the suspension of Khaleda’s jail sentence every six months is a calculated tactic of the government to prolong her imprisonment and keep control over her fate.

“She (Khaleda) was sentenced to jail to remove her from politics. It means they targeted to remove the leadership of the nationalist movement, pro-liberation force and pro-development force by eliminating the nationalist force,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul said their upcoming movement demanding Khaleda’s release is also important like their movement on other issues as democracy will be “restored” if she is freed.

“Let’s all get united regardless of party and views, be vocal, join the movement to demand the release of unjustly imprisoned Khaleda Zia,” he added.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda is undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospitals Dhaka. On 23 June, she had a pacemaker placed in her heart.

Meanwhile, 610 pro-BNP agriculturists in a written statement on Thursday demanded immediate and unconditional release of Khaleda.