The rally was organised under the banner of Bikkhubdha Deshbasi (aggrieved countrymen) comprising journalists, educationists, women leaders, human rights activists and NGO workers at the Central Shaheed Minar.

Addressing the rally as main speaker noted journalist Kamal Lohani said, "We are being reunited to resist the vampires who have put their claws on our national flag."

He urged all to come forward to resist the militants who are killing innocent people across the country.

"Taking the flag in hand we will fight terrorism and militancy," Lohani added.

Elderly women leader Hena Das, who presided over the rally, said it is high time to be united as there is no other alternative to protect the prestige of the national flag.

We have to snatch away the flag from the car of Nizami, she said.

Rokeya Rafiq Baby, a cultural activist, read out a declaration which

included various demands including a ban on communal politics, restoration of four basics principles of 1972 Constitution, giving exemplary punishment to war criminals and trial of all involved in militancy.

The speakers urged all to groom up their children with the sprit of the liberation war and work as a pressure group to sign a national agreement among the political parties on the above demands.

The next programmes of the forum are flag rally in all divisions and districts, and a conference of the central representatives in Dhaka

General Secretary of Udichi Shilpi Gosthi Sanwar Hossain Bhuiyan, who was injured in a bomb attack at Netrokona, shared his experience and demanded death punishment of Abdur Rahman, Bangla Bhai and patrons of the militants.

Prof Abul Barakat, Prof M Samad, Sultana Kamal, Khushi Kabir, AMA Muhit, Quaiyum Chowdhury, Prof Sadeka Halim, and Shaheen Reza Noor were present on the occasion.

People from different districts including relatives of the bomb-injured persons attended the rally.

Later, a national flag procession was brought out from the Shaheed Minar that paraded Doel Chattar and TSC of Dhaka University.