The main opposition BNP will hold the March 12 grand rally at Nayapaltan, in front of the party central office, said BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka yesterday.

It is because the authorities concerned did not allow Manik Mia Avenue or Paltan ground for the gathering, he added.

The party has also moved to place a formal proposal for restoring the caretaker government system in parliament ahead of the rally.

Party insiders said some of the senior party leaders are now working on the draft proposal for reviving the caretaker government provision while others are busy with the rally preparation.

They said the decision of returning to the House will be finalised within a couple

of days since the current session of the parliament will end on March 8.

On Thursday, the party high command asked all the opposition lawmakers to be in the capital by tomorrow [Sunday],

"We will comply with the instruction," said Mazibar Rahman Sarwar, a lawmaker from Barisal-5 constituency.

Meanwhile, BNP leaders have been reserving the city hotels and community centres for the accommodation of those who will join the rally from outside the capital. However, problems are being created centring the bookings, alleged Khoka at a press briefing in the party headquarters.

He hoped that Dhaka will be flooded with people on the rally day.

The party's senior- and mid-level leaders, lawmakers, and central committee leaders are holding meetings across the country to make the March 12 rally a success. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is overseeing the programme preparation, said the insiders.

On January 9, Khaleda called for the rally from a huge rally in Chittagong to mount pressure on the government for reinstating the caretaker government system.