Dhaka: Jatiya Oikyafront has cancelled its planned Thursday’s road march towards Rajshahi programme as the alliance has decided only to hold a rally there on Friday.

‘We’ve canceled tomorrow’s (Thursday’s) road-march programme for an avoidable reason,’ Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said, reports the UNB.

BNP’s Rajshahi divisional organising secretary Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir informed him that Oikyafront will only hold a rally on Friday in Rajshahi as their road-march programme has been cancelled.

Earlier in the day, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a press conference at Dr Kamal Hossain’s Bailey Road residence said they will hold a road march towards Rajshahi on Thursday.

An Oikyafront leader said they may observe a march on foot programme towards the Election Commission on Sunday if it announces the election schedule on Thursday.

About the reasons behind cancellation of the road-march programme, he said they could not take proper preparation for the programme due to harassment by law enforcers and time constraints.

Besides, the Oikyafront leader said their some senior leaders declined to go by road to Rajshahi due to their illness.

Meanwhile, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said their party will hold a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh on Thursday afternoon marking what he said the National Revolution and Solidarity Day.