Gazipur city Awami League has completed all the preparations for holding its maiden council today.

Mobile phone users in Sylhet have complained that they have been facing difficulties to connect the internet on their devices since 10:00am, ahead of the BNP rally in the district today.

Thousands of BNP activists have gathered on Alia Madrasa ground in Sylhet city’s Chowhatta area, hours before the rally starts.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday (Friday) alleged that the government has unleashed the police to try and foil their party’s remaining divisional rallies.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday questioned BNP’s sudden “defensive mood” ahead of the opposition party’s planned rally in the capital on December 10.

Though the transport strike almost cut off Sylhet from the rest of the country, BNP activists continued to arrive in the city yesterday to attend today’s rally.

At least 20 BNP activists, including its central leader Asifa Asrafi Papia, were injured when Awami League men allegedly attacked them after a BNP meeting at Kamarkand in Sirajganj yesterday, ahead of the party’s December 3 Rajshahi rally.

Information Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday said the government has always taken measures so that BNP can organise rallies properly.

Thousands of BNP activists, who are flocking to Sylhet city from all over the division, have camped at around 20 community centres in the city.

At least 20 BNP activists including central BNP leader Asifa Asrafi Papia have been injured when Awami League men allegedly attacked a BNP meeting ahead of the party's December 3 Rajshahi mass rally at Kamarkand upazila in Sirajganj.

Star Digital Report.Weekends during the winter season are the best days for tourism in Sylhet, but only a handful of tourists were in the city today ahead of the BNP rally scheduled for tomorrow.

Thousands of BNP supporters have already gone to the Alia Madrasa field in Sylhet city and set up camp there, a day before the party’s divisional rally tomorrow.

Just a day before the transport strike in three districts of Sylhet division, a large number of BNP supporters yesterday arrived at the Sylhet venue where the party will hold a rally on Saturday.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday alleged that the government is trying to push the country towards instability by creating chaos over BNP’s rally in Dhaka on December 10.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said the government is committed to ensuring people’s safety and security and their properties in any circumstances.

The announcement of names of the members of the new Chattogram Zilla South Jubo League committee has caused frustration among many leaders.

"Sylhet will turn into a 'city of rally'. During our publicity for the rally, we have received immense response from the public. We believe that the rally will be a success,” BNP’s Sylhet district unit President Abdul Quiyum Choudhury said today.

Amid transport strikes and arrests of party men, the BNP is taking all-out preparations to make its divisional rally in Sylhet a success on Saturday.

The Election Commission and the government have picked up similar tones against statements by foreign diplomats on Bangladesh’s domestic issues, such as elections.

A Dhaka court yesterday said the injunction barring Jatiya Party chief GM Quader from making any political decision of the party would remain in force.