Dhaka: After five years, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) took out an Independence Day rally in capital Dhaka on Sunday with police permission.

This was also the first street programme of the party in the capital this year.

Thousands of leaders and activists holding banners, festoons and placards thronged Fakirerpool to Kakrail crossing since afternoon.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the rally at about 3:15pm in front of BNP’s central office at Nayapaltan.

The rally ended at Nayapaltan after parading Kakrail and Shantinagar roads, creating traffic tailbacks in Motijheel, Fakirerpool, Bijoynagar, Kakrail, Shantinagr and Malibagh areas.

The party last brought out the Independence Day rally in 2012.

In his brief speech prior to inaugurating the rally, the BNP secretary general alleged that Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty is now at stake while democracy, people’s voting rights, freedom of expression and other rights have been snatched.

“We want to restore democracy and all of people’s rights. That’s why we all must get united under the leadership of Khaleda Zia to strengthen the movement for restoration of democracy,” he said.

About the next election, the BNP leader called upon the government to create a congenial atmosphere for holding the election in a credible and neutral manner through talks.

“We think people’s hopes and aspirations can be reflected through a free, fair and impartial election. An election-time supportive government is crucial for it,” he observed.

Turning to the militancy issue, Fakhrul said the country’s people will get united to eliminate militancy if the government allows democracy to take its on course and if it does not use the issue for making its political gains.

“We believe the people of Bangladesh won’t pamper militancy, bow down to unfairness and compromise with the issue of the country’s independence and sovereignty,” he added.

BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Mirza Abbas, and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also spoke at the rally.