The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), despite a 36-hour transport strike, kicked off its day-long divisional protest rally in Rangpur Saturday morning.

Defying all adversities, party leaders and activists have erected a stage at the Rangpur Collector Eidgah ground where the rally began with a special prayer around 12pm.

Various district-level leaders started giving speeches following the start of the rally. Party supporters and activists welcomed them by chanting slogans, loud cheers and applause.

They claimed that people are "fed up" with the Awami League's irregularities and mismanagement. From money laundering to bank robbery, there is no misdeed that the government has not committed they said.

Awami League is now looking for an escape route but they will not be allowed to escape. The thousands of people who have joined today's rally will not let this happen, the BNP leaders added.

Several thousand leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies from different districts have joined together to make the rally successful.

Many had spent the night at the venue after failing to manage accommodation. They were seen using polythene sheets as makeshift beds. Some even came prepared with blankets and winter clothes. 

Security measures have been beefed up in the area to avoid any untoward situation following the BNP demonstration. 

Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Noor-E-Alam Mina said, "A large number of law enforcers, many in riot gear, have been deployed at the rally venue so that BNP activists cannot create an unstable environment. Policemen in plain clothes are also three with close monitoring efforts."

Meanwhile, Rangpur Range DIG Abdul Ali Mahmud said, "Police will try to deal with any situation. No exemptions will be made for troublemakers. BNP will conduct their rally in a normal and proper manner -- for which they have been given permission and are being fully co-operated with."

Md Shahidul Islam, a Jubo Dal leader from Kurigram, said, "I had to change transports multiple times and overcome many obstacles to join the rally in Rangpur. The lives of the common people have become miserable due to Awami League's money laundering, bank robbery, and power sector destruction.

"The country's most popular leader [BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia] is locked up in jail. She is innocent. BNP needs to come to power to get justice for all the wrongdoings."

Though bus communication remained halted between Rangpur and the rest of the country since Friday morning, BNP activists from eight nearby districts were seen coming to different areas adjacent to the city by small vehicles like human haulers, auto rickshaws, three-wheelers, motorbikes, and micro-buses a day before the rally.

BNP activist Bashir Uddin came from Thakurgaon Sadar to Rangpur three days ago. He said, "I knew that a transport strike was about to be called. This is why I came here three days ago to be a part of the rally."

Md Raja Mia, another BNP supporter, said, "I and the whole country are now in jail. There is no morning or night for independence. We are Zia's soldiers.

"We will not bow down. We have to make this movement successful."

Only a few buses from Dhaka came to Rangpur on Friday. Still, no buses were seen leaving the Rangpur Bus Terminal for any destination since morning, causing severe suffering to commuters, reports UNB.

Inter-district bus services to and from Rangpur also remained halted due to the strike. The buses from the other districts could not enter Rangpur since Friday morning.

Rangpur District Motor Owners' Association has enforced the transport strike from 6am Friday to 6pm Saturday, demanding a ban on illegal vehicles, including three-wheelers, on the highway and an end to "administrative harassment.

However, BNP Vice Chairman Dr AZM Zahid Hossain alleged that the strike was enforced only to prevent people from joining their party's rally.

He said thousands of people from eight districts under the Rangpur division will attend their programme on Saturday braving the transport strike and all other barriers created by the ruling party.

A similar strike was also enforced ahead of BNP's divisional rally in Khulna last week, but thousands of party leaders and activists participated in the programme overcoming the obstacles.

As part of its move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on September 27 announced a programmes of a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities.

BNP senior leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and some standing committee members, are expected to address the rally.

The organisers said the rally is meant to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The BNP has long been demanding that the next general election be held under a caretaker government, not under any political government -- a demand sharply rejected by the ruling Awami League as the constitution does not allow it to happen.

Saturday's rally is the fourth one by the BNP at the divisional level as the first one was held in Chattogram, the second one in Mymensingh and the third one in Khulna.

Similar rallies have been planned in other divisional headquarters to drum up support in the run-up to the next election expected to be held late next year or in early 2024.

BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city in December.