BNP plans ‘total blockade’ for three days starting today

News Desk :
The BNP and other allied parties with similar goals will set out from Tuesday morning to enforce a “total blockade” nationwide.

The move aims to turn up the pressure on the Awami League government to release BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other leaders, who were whisked away by law enforcers following the clashes on Oct 28, reports bdnews24.com

The BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday called upon their supporters and the public to prepare for a “total blockade”.

“I call upon the countrymen and party leaders and supporters from all levels to make the blockade programme tomorrow, Nov 1 and Nov 2, a success. All roads, highways, rail and water transports will be subject to the blockade,” he said.

“It will be a complete blockade. By complete blockade, I’m saying the roads joining the capital with nearby districts, the streets connecting districts with Upazilas and unions — the main paths will be blocked…”
Rizvi said media vehicles, ambulances and oxygen cylinder-carrying transports can move freely amid the blockade.

Along with the BNP, the Ganatantra Mancha, 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamana Jot, LDP, Ganaforum-People’s Party, Ganatantrik Baam Oikya, Gana Odhikar Parishad, Labour Party, NDM will observe the blockade.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami also followed suit to announce a simultaneous three-day nationwide blockade to press home its demand to oust the Sheikh Hasina administration.

The BNP started a simultaneous movement along with different parties and alliances from Jul 12 to demand the removal of the current government.

Since then, it has held road marches, rallies, black flag marches, sit-in protests, protest rallies and other programmes to further their cause.

On Oct 28, the BNP held protest rallies at Naya Paltan and eight other locations.

But within an hour and a half after it started, police intervened as violent clashes marred the rallies.