The BNP-led 18-party alliance on Friday called a 48-hour nationwide shutdown from 6am on Saturday alongside its ongoing non-stop blockade programme demanding that the January-5 election be stopped.
The shutdown is also meant for registering the opposition’s protest against the reported confinement of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to her Gulshan residence.
BNP chairperson’s adviser Osman Farroque announced the fresh action programme at a press conference at his Gulshan residence.
“Alongside the non-stop blockade demanding the cancellation of the lopsided elections, we’re announcing a 48-hour countrywide hartal from 6am Saturday to 6am Monday protesting the confinement of the opposition leader to her house,” Farroque said.
He also urged the country’s people to say ‘no’ to the January-5 farcical election and say ‘yes’ to their movement for establishing democracy by not going to the polling stations.
Farroque demanded the government stop the game of farcical election and restore democratic atmosphere in the country.
Asked what steps BNP will take to resist the elections, he said, “We’ve already directed our leaders and activists to urge voters to refrain going to the voting stations.”
The country has already been under the grip of the 18-party’s non-stop road-rail-waterway blockade since Wednesday.
Meanwhile, violence escalated across the country on the third day of the opposition’s nonstop blockade on Friday, two days ahead of the 10th parliamentary elections, leaving two people dead.
Incidents of arson attack, vandalism and crude bomb blasts were reported from different parts of the country, including the capital.
Osman Farroque claimed that the country’s people are observing their blockade programme with their spontaneous participation.
The opposition alliance has been on nonstop agitation programmes since the Election Commission announced the election schedule on November 25 fixing the balloting date for January 5.
Source: UNB Connect