Dhaka: BNP has geared up its preparation to stage a ‘huge showdown’ at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on 7 November on the occasion of ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’.

Speaking at a joint meeting of Dhaka city unit BNP at Nayapaltan Bhasani auditorium on Saturday, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir unveiled the party’s plan and asked its leaders and activists to get ready for it, reports UNB.

‘We’ve decided to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on 7 November. We’ve already taken permission from the police for it. We would like to ensure huge mass gathering at our rally to prove that BNP is the country’s number-one party. We’ve to demonstrate that there’s no other bigger party than BNP,’ he told the meeting.

The BNP secretary general also directed his party colleagues to strengthen their campaign for the rally at every ward of the city.

On 20 October, BNP chalked out a 10-day programme, including a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, to observe the 'National Revolution and Solidarity Day,' marking the civil-military ‘uprising on 7 November 1975’.

Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians on November 7, 1975 jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the path for Zia to come to power.

While BNP and its alliances celebrate 7 November as the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of 'killing of freedom fighters', while Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) observes it as the day of civil-military revolution.

Speaking at the meeting, BNP’s Dhaka city unit convener Mirza Abbas said they will hold a massive ever rally on 7 November. ‘Our all leaders will have to work together to make our rally a success. We want you all to start working for the programme right after this meeting.’