A rally organised by the BNP to mark National Revolution and Solidarity Day began in the capital on Saturday afternoon, led by Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman.
The rally started in front of the party’s central office in Naya Paltan and is scheduled to end at Manik Mia Avenue. Senior BNP leaders joined the procession alongside the prime minister.
As part of the party’s central programme, national and party flags were hoisted at 6am at BNP offices across the country, including its central office in Naya Paltan.
Later, Tarique, accompanied by party leaders and activists at all levels, placed wreaths and offered Fateha at the graves of former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Concert for Solidarity underway at Manik Mia Avenue
Colourful rallies were also organised by the BNP in districts and metropolitan cities across the country to mark the day.
A concert titled “Concert for Solidarity” is being held at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital as part of the observance of National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
Organised by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the concert began at 3pm and is scheduled to continue until midnight. One lane of the road beside the South Plaza of the National Parliament House has been closed since morning to facilitate the event.
Traffic congestion has increased on several roads in the capital today, Saturday, amid multiple major events. The traffic division has advised city residents to exercise caution when travelling along Manik Mia Avenue, the Parliament House area, Tejgaon and surrounding roads.
Traffic officials have advised people who need to travel through these areas to allow extra time for their journeys.
Meanwhile, a procession is scheduled to start from in front of the BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan and head towards the event venue at Manik Mia Avenue. As a result, traffic pressure may increase in the afternoon on roads leading to Nayapaltan, Kakrail, Farmgate, Asad Gate and Manik Mia Avenue.
Separately, a grand gathering of village police members has been under way since morning at the National Parade Ground in Tejgaon. The gathering of around 40,000 village police members has caused traffic congestion around the Trade Fair Ground, Tejgaon and adjoining areas. Traffic disruption has been reported in these areas since morning.
Rafiqul Islam, deputy commissioner (Tejgaon) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Traffic Division, told Prothom Alo that a concert stage had been set up on one lane of the road beside the South Plaza of the National Parliament House, prompting authorities to close it.
He said a partition had been installed along the middle of the opposite lane to allow traffic to move in both directions.
He said they expected traffic pressure to remain relatively low as it was a public holiday. However, traffic diversions might be introduced depending on the situation if the crowd increased in the afternoon.
If Manik Mia Avenue had to be closed completely, vehicles coming from the Shyamoli direction would be diverted towards Lake Road, Khejurbagan and Kalabagan. However, he said police would try to maintain normal traffic flow through Manik Mia Avenue by channeling vehicles rather than diverting them.
Rafiqul Islam added that members of various police units, including the Crime Division, had been deployed alongside traffic police.
Police would remain on duty throughout the event, scheduled to continue until midnight, to ensure smooth movement for the public, he said.
