The National Citizen Party (NCP) and Chhatra Dal (JCD), BNP’s student wing, are set to organise pivotal rallies today at the Central Shaheed Minar and Shahbagh intersection, marking last year’s anti-fascist uprising.

Due to the strategic importance of the events, law enforcers have beefed up security and surveillance across the capital. Traffic restrictions have reportedly been imposed across large areas.

HSC examinees and job exam candidates have been advised to leave homes much earlier than they usually do.

Both Chhatra Dal and NCP has apologised to the people for the potential disruptions in their daily activities. Both the rallies would start from 3pm and continue till 6pm.

Notably, another group named “Saimum Shilpigosthi” would hold its cultural show for remembering the uprising at Suhrawardy Uddyan. The event titled “July Jagoron” is being held every day from 1 August-4 August during 10am-10pm.

On 3 August last year, student leaders, who later founded NCP, issued the one-point demand: resignation of Awami League autocratic government. Two days later, dictator Sheik Hasina had to flee the country in the face of public anger.

NCP has been preparing for its mega anniversary rally for over a month and expects the event to be “historic” with the participation of general people from all the districts of the country. The party would announce the “manifesto for rebuilding Bangladesh,” it said on its facebook page last night.

The manifesto would contain NCP’s state reform plans as well as the aspirations of people seeking lasting reform in the state machinery, leaders said in a video message uploaded on the facebook page. The party would also outline its failures over the past year.

Despite the fall of a dictator one year ago, the fight against fascism in state affairs continues, NCP leaders said in the video message, calling on all people to join the struggle at Shaheed Minar on Sunday.

Chhatra Dal, on the other hand, would host an anniversary programme to celebrate a year since the ouster of fascist Awami League regime.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman would address the rally virtually from London, and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir would be present in-person. Chhatra Dal leaders from all the units spread across the country have been instructed to take part in the rally.

Chhatra Dal Joint General Secretary Ibrahim Khalil has told reporters the student body expects activists to fill up a vast area starting from Shahbagh at the centre and extending to Katabon to the west, Matsya Bhaban to the east, TSC to the south and Bangla Motor to the north.