Dhaka: BNP’s labour wing Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal wants to hold a rally at historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the city on May 1, marking the May Day. 

BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan came up with the announcement on Saturday at a discussion programme at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), reports the UNB.

‘May 1 is the International Workers’ Day, and it is observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere across the world. Our Sramik Dal has already sought permission to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on the day,’ he said.

He hoped that the government will allow their party’s labour wing to hold the rally.

‘No other organisation has sought permission to hold similar programme at the same venue, we haven’t heard that. So, there’s no scope for denying us permission by resorting to any trick,’ the BNP leader added.

Nazrul said the Sramik Dal held rallies in 2014 and 2016 at the same venue marking the May Day.

He criticised the jail authorities for what he said playing a silent role regarding the illness of their chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail. ‘The government must be held responsible her health condition deteriorates.’

The BNP leader said their party will continue to carry out a peaceful movement in a peaceful and democratic manner as per the directives of their acting chairman Tarique Rahman to free Khaleda from jail and force the government to hold the next general election under a non-party government.