Chhatra Dal rally begins at Shahbagh

The student rally organised by Chhatra Dal began this afternoon at Shahbagh in Dhaka, with thousands of leaders and activists from Dhaka and surrounding districts present at the venue.

The rally titled "Student Rally to Mark the Anniversary of the Historic July–August Mass Uprising" began at 3:17pm with a recitation from the Holy Quran followed by the national anthem.

BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman joined the rally virtually at 3:13pm as the chief guest.

The party's Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir attended as a special guest with Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib in the chair.

Senior BNP leaders are expected to address the meeting.

A stage was built at the Shahbagh intersection where senior BNP leaders and central leaders of Chhatra Dal are present.

A visit to the spot revealed that since 10:00 am, Chhatra Dal members had been arriving in groups, many carrying party and national flags. They marched in processions from various parts of Dhaka and nearby areas, chanting slogans and wearing white T-shirts and badges.

Between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm, the crowd spread across the entire stretch from Katabon to Matsya Bhaban, including nearby roads and parts of the Dhaka University campus, filled with leaders and activists.

Loudspeakers and large screens were set up at several locations around Shahbagh.

The organisation's leaders described the rally as the largest rally since the Awami League-government's fall on August 5.

Meanwhile, several roads in and around Shahbagh were closed due to the rally, causing disruption for commuters. Roads from Shahbagh to Katabon, the InterContinental Hotel intersection, and from Shahbagh Police Station to Matsya Bhaban were blocked, with traffic diverted to alternate routes.