They said the government by 'allowing a price hike of essentials as well as bomb and grenade attacks' is 'pushing the people's lives towards great uncertainty'.

AL City unit organised the rally to protest the price hike of essentials and to demand neutral investigations into all the bomb and grenade attacks.

"The police under the instructions of the tyrant government are oppressing the AL leaders and activists attending the rallies. It seems as if we don't even have the right to protest the lawlessness," said AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil.

He called on the countrymen to unite in opposition to the government and force it to step down.

AL Presidium Member Tofail Ahmed said the religious extremists are gaining ground in the northern districts right under the nose of the government.

He described the seizure of books from the residence of former information minister Abu Sayeed as a gross violation of human rights.

AL Presidium Member Amir Hossain Amu speaking as the chief guest said, "No neutral probe is possible under this despotic government."

"Baton-charges and attacks won't succeed in desisting us from hartals," he said urging all to gear up for the 'oust-government movement'.

AL City Unit President Mohammad Hanif said people in thousands would take to the city streets on the occasion of AL's March 2 rally in the Paltan Maidan.

AL leaders Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, among others, attended the rally.

Our Sylhet Correspondent adds: Misrule of the BNP-Jamat led-government would soon end in the face of a combined resistance by all the peace loving forces of the country, AL leaders said at a rally in the city's Poura Point area yesterday.

AL Presidium Member Alhaj Abdus Samad Azad MP said the government did not bother to take any tangible initiative to avert bomb attacks on personalities like British High Commissioner, former finance minister Kibria, and City Mayor Kamran.

Former minister Abdur Razzaq MP said the government has totally failed to contain the price hike of essentials and the downslide in the law and order.

Central leaders Dewan Farid Gazi MP, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmad, and Nurul Islam Nahid, City AL Chief Badaruddin Ahmed Kamran, among others, spoke at the rally.

Our Rajshahi Correspondent adds: Awami League Presidium Member Motia Chowdhury yesterday said the government should resign immediately for what she termed its loss of control over law and order.

She was addressing a public rally at Shaheb Bazar last evening.

Speaking at the rally, Muhammad Nasim, former minister for state affairs, alleged that the government has formed Rab, Cheetah and Cobra in order to shield the godfathers of criminals.

Rajshahi city AL President Maksudul Haque Dulu chaired the rally, which was attended also by AL leaders Mukul Bose, Akhtaruzzaman, Rajshahi AL leaders Zinnatun Nesa Talukhdar, Tajul Islam Md Faruk and AHM Khairuzzaman Liton.