BNP requests Suhrawardy Udyan for rally on November 8

The BNP has sent a letter to the administration asking for permission to hold a rally at Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan on Nov 8.

The party wishes to hold the rally to commemorate ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’, which it observes on Nov 7.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the party had sought permission at a press conference at its Naya Paltan headquarters on Friday.

“We have sent a letter requesting permission to use Suhrawardy Udyan for a rally on Nov 8,” he said. “We want to commemorate National Revolution and Solidarity Day on Nov 7.”

“You saw yesterday that we are preparing for Nov 7. Various organisations are coming together to observe the day. We hope that we can hold 10 programs on Nov 7.”

Asked whether BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would attend the rally, Rizvi said:

“We will hold a big rally. We will let inform you whether Madam will be there at a later time.”

On Nov 7, 1975 an uprising following a coup catapulted Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman to power. The BNP commemorates the day as ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’

Awami League does not recognise the occasion and instead refers to Nov 7 as ‘Freedom Fighters Massacre Day’. 

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD), now an ally of the Awami League, observes it as the 'Day of Uprising of Soldiers and People'.

On Thursday BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced 10 days of programs from Nov 5 to Nov 15 at the party’s joint meeting. The schedule had not included a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan.