The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has sought permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to hold their much-talked-about rally in front of the party’s Naya Paltan central office in Dhaka on December 10.

A delegation of BNP met DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq at about 10:00am on Tuesday and urged him to take steps to ensure Awami League cannot create any chaos and anarchy centering the BNP rally, BNP Dhaka South City unit Convener Abdus Salam said.

As part of the move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The party has already organised rallies in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal, and Faridpur braving various obstacles and transport strikes.

BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10, coinciding with International Human Rights day.

The BNP has long been demanding that the next general election be held under a caretaker government, not under any political government–a demand sharply rejected by the ruling Awami League as the constitution does not contain any such provision.