A huge rally of BNP protesting the latest hike in fuel prices and power crisis is underway in front of its Nayapaltan central office in the capital.

The rally, organised by BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units, formally began with the recitation from the Holy Quran around 1:50pm.

Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies started to gather in the area since morning blocking one side of the road.

Vehicles were moving on the other side of the road, stretching from Bijoynagar crossing to Fakirerpool, causing immense suffering to commuters.

BNP senior leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and standing committee members, will address the rally.

Read: BNP works out long-term protest against fuel price hike

Earlier on Monday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced a two-day programme, including the rally, in protest against the latest hike in fuel prices, transport fares and soaring prices of all essential commodities.

The programmes are also meant for registering the party’s protest against the ongoing load shedding and the killing of two leaders of its associate bodies by police in Bhola.

Besides, the party’s all metropolitan city and district units will arrange protest rallies across the country on Friday.

In an abrupt move, the government increased the prices of diesel, octane and petrol by 42.5 per cent, 51.7 per cent and 51 per cent respectively on Friday night. Currently, diesel is being sold at Tk 114 per litre, octane at Tk 135 per litre and petrol at Tk 130 per litre.

BNP leaders and activists have been staging protests across the country for over two weeks against the ‘unprecedented power outages and soaring prices of daily essentials and clashed with law enforcers at different places.

On May 31, police allegedly attacked a procession of the party protesting the loadshedding and opened fire in Bhola, leaving local Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim on the spot and critically injuring many others.

Later, one of the injured and Bhola district unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president  Noor-e-Alam succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in the capital.