Opposition backs down on hartal

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain speaks to the reporters at the party chairperson's Gulshan office in the capital on Tuesday. Photo: Focus Bangla

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain speaks to the reporters at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office in the capital on Tuesday. Photo: Focus Bangla

The 18-party alliance led by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will hold a protest rally in the capital on Thursday.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain made the announcement after a meeting with the leaders of the alliance Tuesday afternoon.

Mosharraf who chaired the meeting at the BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office said they rally would be held in front of the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office at 3:00pm on Thursday.

“We (18-party) are in tougher programmes. In this situation, calling for hartals was usual. But we have not declared such programme to show respect to all religions,” the BNP leader said.

The meeting started at 3:45pm attended by the general secretaries of the parties that constitute the opposition combine.

The leaders are also expected to finalise its next course of action for toppling the government.

The BNP standing committee, the highest policymaking body of the party, decided on April 10 to call a two-day countrywide hartal from April 17 protesting “wholesale arrest” of its leaders.

Source: The Daily Star