BNP-led opposition to enforce 36-hr blockade from Tuesday

UNB, Dhaka :

BNP and like-minded parties on Sunday announced a 36-hour road-rail-waterway blockade across the country starting from Tuesday morning to protest the schedule for the next national election announced by the Election Commission (EC).

It will be the 11th round of the blockade programme of the opposition parties since October 31.

The blockade will begin at 6am on Tuesday and end at 6 pm on Wednesday.

Speaking at a virtual press briefing, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi called upon the country’s people and the supporters of BNP and other opposition parties to observe the programme spontaneously to make it a success.

Vehicles of the newspapers or media, ambulances and vehicles transporting oxygen cylinders and medicines will remain out of the purview of the blockade.

Rizvi said the fresh blockade programme is also meant for mounting pressure on the government to quit, hold the next election under a non-party neutral government and release party leaders and activists, including its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He said other opposition parties, who have long been carrying out the simultaneous movement with BNP, will also observe a similar programme.

After enforcing countrywide blockades in 10 phases and hartal in three phases for the last one and a half months since October 29, BNP announced human chain programme for Sunday marking the International Human Rights Day.