The BNP-led 20-party alliance yesterday announced another spell of 72-hour countrywide hartal from Sunday morning to press home their demands including holding a dialogue for an inclusive poll under a non-partisan government.
The fresh shutdown has been called to protest killing of opposition leaders and activists in the name of “crossfire,” “repression,” and “filing of false cases” against alliance leaders, and demanding release of all political prisoners.
The alliance will also bring out “mass processions” at district, upazila and ward levels in cities across the country on Sunday.BNP joint secretary general Salauddin Ahmed announced the new course of action through a press statement from an undisclosed location. The new spell of hartal will be enforced along with the ongoing countrywide blockade programme.
In his statement Salahuddin alleged that the government has engaged itself on a bloody game of eliminating the opposition terming the democratic movement as acts of terrorists.
“We have no alternative to go for tougher action to establish the rights of people as the government put the BNP central office under lock and key, carries out killing, enforced disappearance, mass arrest and snatched the rights of holding rally and bring out procession,” he said.
The 20-party alliance enforced hartal every five working days in a week from February 1. The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations, which were due to start on February 2, are being held on weekends due to the shutdowns.
The hartal will begin at 6:00am Sunday and continue till 6:00am Wednesday, according to the press statement.
The BNP leader, on behalf of Khaleda Zia, called upon the people, opposition leaders and activists to make the hartal and mass procession programme a success. – Staff Reporter
