Processions to mark the International Literacy Day yesterday were cancelled in Rangpur and neighbouring districts in fear of attacks from the Islamist militants.

The programmes were called off after the law enforcement agencies had advised the district administrations and district primary education departments to scrap the plan for the processions to be participated by the students and teachers of primary schools.

The processions were cancelled on security grounds. Intelligence agencies have reports that the militants lately have been regrouping to carry out attacks on rallies, processions, and cultural programmes in the northern districts, an intelligence source told The Daily Star yesterday. District primary education officer in Rangpur said, "We didn't bring out any procession this year but a discussion on the day was held in Rangpur Town Hall in the afternoon."

Asked about the reason behind the decision to call off the processions, he said, "I can't explain why the authorities had instructed us to cancel the procession."

Like every year, Brac schools' students and teachers were preparing to take part in the district administration's traditional literacy day processions yesterday. But the day before yesterday the Brac high-ups asked the regional offices to take preparations for observing the day at their schools across the country as the primary and mass education ministry would not arrange any processions this year, said a Brac official, seeking anonymity.

In accordance with the instructions, Brac's district chapters confined the International Literacy Day programmes to their school premises across the country.