Awami League leaders and activists have started gathering in Dhanmondi's Russell Square and Bangabandhu Avenue in the city's Gulistan area to observe the second anniversary of the January 5, 2014 elections which the ruling party calls Democracy Protection Day.
Activists were seen on trucks holding aloft placards as they made their way toward the ruling party's designated rally venues since morning on Tuesday.
Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam is presiding over the rally at Bangabandhu Avenue. AL central leaders joined the rally.
The out of parliament opposition BNP is holding a counter-rally dubbed Democracy Killing Day in front of the BNP's Nayapaltan headquarters.
No violent incident was reported from any part of the country centring the rival programmes.
On Saturday, both the Awami League and the BNP sought permission to hold rallies today at the same venue – historic Suhrawardy Udyan.
After taking time to consider the security situation, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Monday approved the programmes but fixed separate rally venues for the two parties.
The police also set strict conditions for both parties and warned that stern action would be taken if the conditions were violated.
