Awami League leaders and activists will 'vigilantly occupy' important roads and junctions across the capital when the BNP and its allies march through Dhaka in separate processions as part of an anti-government campaign.
Ruling party loyalists across the country will be on alert to prevent any form of violence around the opposition's programme on Friday, according to Awami League leaders, reports bdnews24.com.
Senior leaders of the party and activists will rally at key points of the city, including Uttara, Shyamoli, Mohakhali, Farmgate and Gabtoli, during the afternoon.
The BNP is scheduled to take out a procession from outside its headquarters in Naya Paltan after 2pm. Vice-Chairman AZM Zahid Hossain said the procession will end at the same place after marching to Moghbazar via Kakrail and Malibagh.
The Ganatantra Mancha, a platform of anti-government parties, will march on the National Press Club area, the 12-Party Alliance at Fakirapool, the Jatiyabadi Somomona Jote at Purana Paltan, the Liberal Democratic Party at Panthapath, and the Jamaat-e-Islami in the Baitul Mukarram area.
The BNP and its allies took out processions in all the districts except Dhaka on Dec 24 as the ruling Awami League held its national council in the capital on that day. Later, the programme was rescheduled to Dec 30.
The programme was announced at the BNP’s Dhaka divisional rally in Golapbagh on Dec 10.
Ahead of the BNP's 'simultaneous movement', Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the party would maintain vigilance throughout the country as it had done on Dec 10. "It is not that we are looking to counter them -- the point is that we will stay on guard."
"They may engage in violence in the name of the mass march and commit arson and vandalism. What will we do? Look on silently?"