Dhaka city unit of Bangladesh Nationalist Party enforces a 24-hour general strike in the capital while BNP-backed student and volunteer fronts have also called dawn-to- dusk hartal in different districts for today in protest at the arrest of its leaders.
The general strikes coincide with the BNP-led opposition alliance’s 72-hour countrywide blockade of road, railway and waterways that began on Saturday morning to press for cancellation of the schedules for the general elections and holding of the polls under a non-party government.
BNP Dhaka city unit will enforce the 24-hour general strike in the capital beginning at 6:00am today in protest at the arrest of its city unit convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka, also vice-chairman of the party, and demanding his immediate release.
The BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal for today in Chittagong, Munshiganj, Patuakhali, Sunamganj, Khagrachari, Bogra and Sariatpur districts to press for release of its president Abdul Kadir Bhuiyan Jewel, general secretary Habibur Rashid Habib and other leaders.
Police arrested Abdul Kadir Bhuiyan Jewel at Uttara in the capital on December 6 and Habibur Rashid Habib at Shantinagar on November 17.
Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal will enforce a dawn-to-dusk general strike in the four districts in Sylhet division – Sylhet,Sunamganj, Habiganj,Moulabibazar– demanding release of its general secretary Mir Sharafat Ali Sapu.
Police arrested Sharafai Ali on November 13 in Bangla Motor area of Dhaka city.
Chhatra Dal has also announced a dawn-to-dusk general strike in Sylhet division for Monday while the opposition alliance has called a dawn-to-dusk general strike in Sylhet district for Wednesday to press for release of the leaders and activists of the party and its fronts.
Bogra district BNP will enforce a dawn-to-dusk general strike in the district today protesting at the ‘plot’ against the party vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, also the eldest son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Chhatra Dal has announced general strikes in 16 districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions for Monday over the same demand.
The eight districts in Rajshahi where hartal would be enforced are Bogra, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Natore, Chapainawabganj, Pabna, Rajshahi and Sirajganj.
In Rangpur division hartal hartal would be enforced in the districts of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Rangpur.
-With New Age input
