The ruling Awami League will hold a massive rally across Bangladesh welcoming the announcement of the schedule for the 12th National Parliamentary Election, which is expected on Wednesday.
The party Office Secretary Biplab Barua sent special instructions to district Awami League leaders via mobile SMS on Tuesday.
The message said: "Respected leaders, with the announcement of the schedule for the 12th National Parliamentary Election, it is requested by organizational instructions to hold a large procession by campaigning on boats to welcome the elections."
The party's central leaders held a closed-door meeting at the political office of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina in Dhanmondi this evening. In this meeting, it was decided to welcome the schedule announcement and hold a large-scale procession, party sources said.
Awami League presidium member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Awami League Organizing Secretary Mirza Azam, and others were present at the meeting.
Sources of the meeting said that during the 48-hour blockade of BNP, the leaders and activists of Awami League and affiliated organizations at all levels across the country decided to be more alert and vigilant. They have been asked to hold large rallies welcoming the announcement of the election schedule.
Confirming the message sent from the Awami League office, several district presidents of Awami League said they have been asked to hold large rallies welcoming the announcement of the election schedule.
Several Awami League praesidium members said that BNP could create chaos in the country after the announcement of the election schedule. Therefore, after the announcement of the schedule, they have been asked to hold large rallies across the country. In particular, Dhaka Metropolitan North and South Awami League have been instructed to hold processions in every thana and ward.
Dhaka City North Awami League President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman said: "The leaders and activists will stay in different police stations and wards immediately after the announcement of the schedule. They will march on the streets as per the party's directives.”