The BNP-led 18-party alliance is likely to enforce countrywide shutdowns on Tuesday and Wednesday if the government does not release by Sunday its 148-leaders and activists arrested on March 11.
The alliance also decided to postpone its Wednesday’s rally scheduled to be held in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
The decisions were taken following two separate meetings of the 18-party alliance and BNP standing committee members on Saturday night at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office with its chief Khaleda Zia in the chair.
Meeting sources said the BNP policymakers will also sit again on Sunday night and announce the next course of action programmes.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia first sat with her party’s policymakers around 9pm that continued for nearly an hour. Later, she held another meeting with the top leaders of the 18-party alliance which concluded at about 11:15pm. The meetings elaborately discussed the prospect of Hefajat-e-Islam’s movement and the country’s evolving political situation.
According to the sources, the 18-party will extend moral support to the Apri-8 hartal called by Hefajat. The 18-part leaders bestowed Khaleda with all power to finalise the next course of programmes.
They suggested the BNP chief to announce harsher programmes like hartal and blockade to press home their various demands, including restoration of the caretaker government.
Source: UNBConnect
