Dhaka: BNP will bring out a black-flag procession in the city on Saturday protesting the denial of permission for its planned rally on Thursday demanding the release of party chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programme at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office on Wednesday.

We’d sought police permission to organise a public rally tomorrow (February 22) either at Suhrawardy Udyan or in front of our Nayapaltan office. We’d also taken all necessary preparations. But the police didn’t give us permission, he said.

The government has taken all measures so that BNP cannot arrange the rally, Rizvi said.

The BNP leader described it as a ‘vindictive and anti-democratic behaviour’ from the government, which violates people’s basic rights. We strongly condemn and protest it.

Noting that the movement demanding the release of BNP chairperson will continue, he said fresh programmes will be announced soon in this regard.

On February 8 last, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was sent to jail after a special court sentenced her to five years’ rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.