"The next general elections will be held in due time... we will not hand over power a single day before the expiry of the tenure," Bhuiyan said.

The BNP leader was addressing a grand rally at Mahanagar Nataya Mancha in observance of October 1 as the fourth anniversary of 'vote revolution' against the 'misrule' of the main opposition Awami League (AL).

As part of countrywide programme, the Dhaka City Unit of the BNP organised the programme.

The ruling BNP shifted the rally from its scheduled venue, Muktangon, to Mahanagar Nataya Mancha due to a downpour that paralysed the city's normal life yesterday.

Bitterly criticising the main opposition AL for its irresponsible role as an opposition political party, Bhuiyan urged them to sit inside and outside of the parliament to discuss their demands, especially reforms in the caretaker government system.

"You (AL) have to come first to consensus about what kind of reform you want....Dr Kamal wants one type of reform while B Chowdhury wants another type. CPB wants another type.... So you have to decide first what kind of reform you want," he added.

Listing government's successes in various filed in the last four years, Bhuiyan said: We have achieved tremendous success in all fields including economy, judiciary, education, health.

"We have also restored congenial atmosphere in the educational institutions and curbed crimes," he added.

Regarding observance of October 1 as 'black day' by the AL, the minister said: By observing the day in such a way, they once again proved that they don't accept the people's mandate,"

Bitterly criticising the main opposition AL for observing the October 1 as 'black day',

the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed said: "With this, the AL has dishonoured the people's mandate.... If they (AL) continue this, they will be isolated from the countrymen."

Chaired by BNP Dhaka City Unit President Sadeque Hossain Khoka, the rally was also addressed, among others, by BNP leaders Selima Rahman, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, Salahuddin Ahmed MP and Abdus Salam.

For the first time in the last four years of BNP's second stint in power under Khaleda Zia's leadership, the party observed the day amidst fanfare.

On this day in 2001, the BNP returned to power with a landslide victory, defeating the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina.

Braving the downpour, thousands of party supporters, leaders and activists joined the rally with processions brought out from different parts of the city.

After the rally, the BNP took out a procession that ended at the party central office at Naya Paltan.

Three other partners of the ruling alliance--Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) and Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ)--also observed the day by holding rallies in the city yesterday.