DHAKA: BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia called emergency meetings of the party’s standing committee members and 18-party alliance leaders.

The meetings, where mass rally of October 25 will be key agenda, will be held at 8:30pm at her Gulshan office on October 19 and 20 respectively.

In the meantime, the opposition chief had also talked with party’s advisors and executive committee members.

Besides, BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed said that 18-party alliance would hold its October 25 rally in the capital, no matter whether the government permits it or not.

On the other hand, BNP vice-chairmen Sadek Hossain Khoka directed the party leaders and activists to keep armed with machetes and axes to counter any attacks while joining the opposition’s October 25 rally.

Police also raided the Gopibagh residence of Khoka a day after his comment, but failed to arrest him.

Some 500 police personnel have kept cordoned off the BNP Nayapaltan central office Thursday morning.

The BNP is scheduled to hold a rally on October 25 to press home its key demand for holding the next general election under a caretaker government.

BDST: 0842 HRS, OCT 18, 2013
AKA/GCP