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Thousands of leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student body of the ruling Awami League (AL), on Friday gathered at historic Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka to attend their grand rally.
Visiting the rally venue at noon on Friday, the UNB correspondent found thousands of leaders and followers of the organisation pouring into the venue from different parts of the city.
Many arrived in the city by trains and buses from across the country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is due to address the rally.
Carrying banners, festoons, placards and portraits of the BCL and AL leaders, they shouted slogans against the BNP and Jamaat-Shibir politics.
Party fellows were chanting slogans saying ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu, Sheikh Hasina Sarkar, Bar Bar Darkar (Sheikh Hasina’s government needed repeatedly) and so on.
Roads and alleys surrounding the Suhrawardhy Udyan were crowded with the BCL activists, halting traffic in the area.
The BCL leaders set up a big stage on the Udyan ground and installed over 250 loudspeakers.
The rally is scheduled to formally begin at 3pm after Juma prayers.
The sudden rainfall could not stop the BCL leaders and activists from joining the rally.
PM Hasina, also president of the ruling AL, will address the programme as the chief guest and give directives to the BCL leaders and activists.
BCL Central General Secretary Sheikh Waliur Rahman Enan told UNB that it will be the biggest rally ever held in recent times and they have taken all measures to success the rally.
Law enforcing agencies including Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Rapid Action Battalion have taken sufficient measures to avoid any unexpected incident in and around the event venue.
Patrolling teams of the police have been deployed in Shahbag, Paltan, Matshya Bhaban, Kakrail, Paribagh and other important points to ensure security of the attendees.
Moreover, members of the intelligence agencies in plainclothes will remain deployed in and around the venue.
Measures were taken to keep traffic management normal around the venue.
The arriving leaders and activists were being allowed to enter the programme venue after scrutinizing them by the law enforcers.
The BCL central body is holding the grand rally in the memory of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib.