Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is scheduled to bring out a grand procession in the capital today marking the historical national revolution and solidarity day, to give a reflection of the party’s strength and popularity.

The leaders and activists will take out the rally from the party’s central office at Nayapaltan in the capital at 2:30pm.

“All necessary preparations have been completed to this end. The party leaders, activists and supporters will join the rally from different districts of Dhaka division,” BNP Standing Committee Member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, also coordinator of the rally preparation committee, told the Daily Sun.

The procession will parade at Kakrail Mosque, Matsyabhaban, Engineering Institute, Shahbagh intersection, Hotel InterContinental, Banglamotor crossing, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate and will end at Manik Mia Avenue.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will inaugurate the programme while the party senior leaders will join the event, among others.

At the concluding session, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will deliver his speech.

Insiders said the party wants to show its organisational strength and popularity by ensuring massive gathering of the party men in the procession as the BNP is demanding the current interim government to arrange national election quickly after completing necessary reforms.

Similar rallies will be arranged in each divisional headquarters across the country on the same issue.

Dr AZM Zahid Hossain said this will be a massive rally that will make history. “The martyrs of 5 August will be remembered in the rally,” he added.

BNP sources said the party leaders, activists of Dhaka north and south city areas, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj and Narsingdi districts will also join the rally to ensure a huge gathering.

On 31 October, BNP declared a 10-day programme to mark the national revolution and solidarity day, aiming to highlight its true historical significance and background for the younger generation.

As part of the programme, the party flag was hoisted atop all its offices across the country on Thursday morning.

BNP leaders and activists, led by the party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, placed wreaths and offered fateha at the grave of their party founder and former President Ziaur Rahman.

The party also arranged a discussion meeting at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh on Wednesday. With Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the chair, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman spoke at the discussion as the chief guest, joining virtually from London.

On 7 November 1975, amid the political turmoil, soldiers and civilians jointly freed the then Chief of Army Staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka Cantonment, paving the way for him to come to power.

In addition, BNP’s front and associate organisations and all units also arranged various programmes, including discussions, cultural programmes, essay competitions, photo exhibitions and publishing supplements in newspapers, across the country, marking the day with due respect.