B’desh Opposition declare 2-day blockade again on Wednesday, Thursday

November 6, 2023 1:10 pm

Dhaka: The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami will again enforce a 48-hour countrywide road-rail-waterway blockade this week on Wednesday and Thursday to mount pressure on the government to quit and hold the next general elections under a non-partisan administration.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the announcement during a press conference this afternoon (6 November).

The BNP has also decided to suspend all programmes tomorrow to observe what it calls ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ marking the ‘civil-military uprising’ on 7 November, 1975.

“The democratic people are living in an inhumane, horrible environment in the country. That is why our programme is suspended tomorrow [7 November] to protest against the cruel and merciless oppression of the government,” Rizvi said while speaking at the conference.

He alleged that false cases are being filed against many BNP leaders and activists.

“Today, [BNP Chairperson] Khaleda Zia is held in prison by sentencing her under a false case. She is being tortured in many ways due to her illness.”

He also alleged that the BNP office in Nayapaltan was put under lock and key “to silence the voice of the opposition”.

The Jamaat-e-Islami also issued a press release, signed by its acting secretary general ATM Masum, with the blockade announcement today.

The fresh agitation was announced during the current 2-day blockade from Sunday to Tuesday, just after a previous three-day nationwide blockade from 31 October to 2 November that was marked by widespread incidents of violence, including clashes, arson and vandalism.

The party had enforced the nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal on 29 October in protest against the “attacks” on its 28 October grand rally at Nayapaltan.

Arrest of party leaders

The BNP leader claimed 275 party men were arrested across the country in the last 24 hours.

“Since 28 October, 10 BNP leaders and activists, including a journalist, were killed. A total of 5,559 people were arrested,” he said.

The Jamaat-e-Islami also claimed police arrested 96 activists across the country in the last 24 hours. Since 28 October, three people were killed and 1,741 were arrested across the country.

LDP calls for countrywide blockade on 8, 9 November

The Liberal Democratic Party also announced a two-day nationwide blockade starting from Wednesday (8 November).

The party made the announcement in a statement signed by LDP President Dr Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad on Monday.

The LDP, which is in simultaneous movement against the government, called on other parties and alliances, including BNP, to announce the same programme.

On Sunday, RAB arrested former Home Minister and BNP Vice Chairman Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury.

BNP Vice-Chairman Barrister Shahjahan Omar Bir Uttam and BNP Organising Secretary (Mymensingh division) Imran Saleh Prince were also picked up by police, according to a statement released by the party.

Reportedly, the arrests were made over the sabotage case filed centring the BNP’s 28 October rally, which devolved into violence, said the official.

On 28 October, the chief justice’s residence came under attack when miscreants threw brick chips during the political rallies.

Many BNP activists, including the party’s senior leaders, have been arrested and remanded recently over the recent political violence.

Police have detained BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Members Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, among other leaders, following deadly clashes that rocked parts of Dhaka and the rest of the country as the party and its allies called for a hartal and a three-day long nationwide blockade.