The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party held its pre-scheduled ‘divisional mass rally’ in Faridpur on Saturday amid transport strikes, arrests, and other forms of intimidation.

The rally at the Komarpur Abdul Aziz Institution ground in Faridpur, about six kilometres away from the district town, began minutes after 11:00am, about three hours before the time scheduled to begin the rally.

The rally ended at about 5:00pm.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam ALamgir address the rally, organised by the Faridpur district unit of the party, as the chief guest.

A huge number of police personnel and other security officials were deployed around the rally venue and at different points of the town to prevent any untoward incident, police officials in the district said.

Party leaders and activists came to the rally ground with processions and carrying banners, festoons and portraits of the party founder Ziaur Rahman, chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

They chanted slogans to press home their demands including resignation of the government, handing over power to a caretaker government, unconditional release of Khaleda , withdrawal of cases against Khaleda and Tarique Rahman and protesting at the failure of the government in different fields.

BNP leaders said that the party activists came to the venue throughout the night following Friday and the venue was filled with party leaders and activists by Saturday morning.

The party activists passed the night on the venue and on the yards of a number of houses near the venue, they said.

They came to the town by cars, rickshaws, and auto-rickshaws, and on foot, defying bus strike.

BNP leaders alleged that their activists were obstructed at different entry points and police check posts and C&B Ghat by law enforcers from joining the rally.

On September 28, the BNP announced programmes for the next two months as part of its ongoing movement demanding the resignation of the AL-led government and the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, protesting at the abnormal increase in the price of fuel oil and daily commodities and the killing of BNP leaders and activists.

The party organised rallies in Chattogram on October 12, in Mymensingh on October 15, in Khulna on October 22, in Rangpur on October 29, and in Barishal on November 5 amid arrests, intimidation, and various other obstacles, including transport strikes.

On November 7, transport owners and workers, under the banner of the Faridpur District Bus Owners and Workers Unity Council, announced that they would keep bus services to and from Faridpur closed for two days starting on November 11, demanding a stop in the movement of three-wheeler vehicles on highways.

The party is scheduled to hold a rally in Sylhet on November 19.