Opposition BNP on Monday threatened that the 18-party may go for a 72-hour nonstop shutdown if the government does not concede to their demands even in the face of the 36-hour hartal beginning at 6am Tuesday.
“If the government can realise the justification of our movement in the face of the 36-hour hartal it’s well and good. Or else, a 72-hour hartal call may come and it’ll gradually be extended to make our movement a success,” said
BNP chairperson’s adviser Shamsuzzaman Dudu.
He came up with the threat at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayaplatan central office.
The BNP-led 18-party alliance enforces another spell of a 36-hour hartal at 6am Tuesday to push for its various demands, including the release of top BNP leaders.
Earlier, the alliance enforced 36-hour shutdowns thrice– on March 18, 19, 27, 28, and April 9 and 10 on the same grounds.
Dudu alleged that the government has deepened the crisis in the country by resorting to repressive acts to subdue the opposition.
Accusing the government of being increasingly intolerant, he said the government has made the law enforcers its party cadres to suppress the opposition and attack its peaceful programmes.
The BNP leader said police without any provocation attacked a procession of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal near the BNP office in the morning and foiled it by firing bullets and teargas shells. Three JCD leaders suffered bullet injuries in the attack, he added.
Besides, Dudu said the ruling party cadres killed a BNP leader and injured 35 others at Shahpur under Titash Police Station in Comilla.
He claimed that many BNP leaders and activists were injured and many others arrested across the country as police attacked the peaceful pre-hartal processions of the opposition.
Dudu came down hard on Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim for his remarks that the caretaker government system can never be restored, saying, the AL leader may be suffering from memory syndrome. “We want to clearly state that the next election must be held under a caretaker government system. No election will be allowed without restoration of the system.”
He demanded immediate release of all the arrested BNP leaders and activists, and withdrawal of the “false” cases filed against them.
Dudu on behalf of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia urged the country’s people to make the 36-hour hartal of the opposition a success with their spontaneous support.
Source: UNB Connect
