Dhaka: Having failed to get permission for holding a rally at the city's Suhrawardy Udyan, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Wednesday said it will stage demonstrations across the country on Thursday protesting it.

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

Rizvi said their party had sought permission from Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Public Works Department for holding a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in protest against the police raid on their chairperson's Gulshan office, but the authorities denied the permission.

He said their party followers will stage demonstrations in all district towns and metropolitan cities on Thursday.

In Dhaka city, he said, the programme will be observed at every thana.

Rizvi alleged that the denial of permission for the rally has demonstrated that the police raid on their chairperson's office was carried out at the behest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"We think the police raid was conducted as part of an evil plan of the government. That's why they didn't allow us to register our protest against it through a rally. We strongly condemn and protest the denial of permission for our programme," he said.

On Saturday, police raided BNP chief Khaleda Zia's office following a search warrant issued by a court to find out whether there is any 'anti-state document' in it.

The two-hour drive, however, ended with no recovery of any anti-state document.

Later, BNP standing committee member at a meeting on Sunday night decided to hold the rally in the city protesting the raid.