Thousands of members and supporters of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the BNP, began converging on Dhaka’s Shahbagh area from early Sunday morning, August 3, 2025, to participate in a major student rally.

The rally commemorates the anniversary of the July-August student-led uprising and is scheduled to officially begin at 2:30 PM with a recitation from the Holy Quran. Senior BNP leaders, including Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, are expected to deliver speeches during the event.

Participants from across the country have traveled to the capital to attend. A stage has been erected at the Shahbagh intersection, along with large loudspeakers, projectors, and video screens to accommodate the gathering.

Due to the large number of attendees, traffic congestion has already been reported in and around Shahbagh. A temporary medical booth has been set up to offer basic health services to participants.

Earlier in the week, JCD announced a change in venue for the event—from the Central Shaheed Minar to Shahbagh—out of consideration for a scheduling conflict with another group, the National Citizen Party (NCP). JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib, speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan, explained the change and apologized to Dhaka residents for any inconvenience caused by traffic disruptions.

This rally marks the first large-scale public event organized by Chhatra Dal since the 2024 student uprising. In a departure from past demonstrations, the leadership has instructed attendees not to carry banners, festoons, or placards. Six specific guidelines have been issued to maintain discipline during the event.