BNP announces 3-day fresh protest

Tarique tells policymakers over phone to stay united for party chief’s release, neutral polls

The BNP has announced a three-day agitation, including hunger-strike and sit-in, protesting the imprisonment of  Chairperson Khaleda Zia. The BNP will form one-hour human chain on Monday, stage sit-in on Tuesday and organise a seven-hour hunger-strike on Wednesday across the country. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, announced the programmes at a press conference at the party’s Naya Paltan headquarters yesterday, after ending the two-day nationwide protest against Khaleda's imprisonment.

He said the programme had been announced to demand the withdrawal of cases against Khaleda and her release from jail. BNP chairperson’s adviser, Ataur Rahman Dhali, Farhad Halim Donar, Belal Ahmed, among others, were present at the press conference.

Meanwhile, BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman over telephone yesterday asked all the party leaders and activists to work together for the release of Khaleda, restoration of democracy and holding a neutral and participatory election.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said this emerging from a meeting of the party standing committee members and senior party leaders, the first meeting of the BNP policymakers held after the conviction and jailing of party chief Khaleda Zia.

He said the meeting, which began at 7:00pm at the party  chief’s Gulshan office, demanded the release of all arrested party leaders including standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and

withdrawal of all false cases filed against them. He claimed that about 3,500 leaders and activists have been arrested prior to sending Khaleda in jail.

Referring to visit of a five-member lawyers’ team to Khaleda at the jail yesterday Mirza Fakhrul, who presided over the meeting, alleged that she has been kept in a cell in the abandoned jail alone.

The BNP yesterday held protest rallies in the city and elsewhere in the country, amid police attack and arrest of many leaders and activists.

In Dhaka, law enforcers charged batons on a procession BNP activists had brought out from the Purana Paltan area after Zohr prayers.

The procession, led by secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, was brought from the front of the north gate of the Baitul Mukarram Mosque. The police used batons to disperse the BNP men when they reached the Fakirapool water tank area at about 1:30pm.

Law enforcers detained several BNP activists. Later, police arrested six leaders and activists, including BNP standing committee member, Nabiullah Nabi, from areas near the party office, BNP leaders claimed.

BNP vice-chairman Barkatullah Bulu and Khaleda Zia’s adviser Joynal Abedin Faruk, organising secretary Fazlul Haque Milon, its publicity affairs secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, BNP leader Mostafizur Rahman Babul also took part in the procession.

Another group of BNP leaders and activists brought out a procession from House Building lane near Bijoynagar around 1:25pm. The police chased the BNP men and arrested eight of them, including south city unit leader Nabiullah Nabi.

 UNB adds: In Comilla, Police arrested four leaders and workers of two local units of BNP-supported Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) yesterday noon.

The arrestees include president of the Comilla South unit of Jubo Dal, Ashikur Rahman Mahmud Wasim, also an ex-VP of Comilla Government Victoria College Central Students Union.

Police arrested them as they attended a rally arranged to protest the verdict and five year jail sentence of Begum Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust Graft Case.

Comilla Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-charge Abu Salam Miya said they were arrested on the basis of specific accusations against them. He, however, did not elaborate.

In Chittagong, Police arrested 30 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami during drives at different upazilas from Friday to yesterday  morning.

Additional superintendent of police of Chittagong Muhammad Rezaul Masud they arrested the BNP-Jamaat activists from Sitakunda, Mirsarai, Phatikchhari, Hathazari, Raozan, Boalkhali, Chandanaish, Satkania, Lohagora and Banshkhali upazilas.

The arrestees included 25 BNP men and 5 Jamaat activists. On Friday, they staged demonstrations across the country protesting against Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment and demanding her release. On Thursday, a Special Court here convicted the former prime minister and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

 

BNP announces 3-day fresh protest

Tarique tells policymakers over phone to stay united for party chiefs release, neutral polls

The BNP has announced a three-day agitation, including hunger-strike and sit-in, protesting the imprisonment of Chairperson Khaleda Zia. The BNP will form one-hour human chain on Monday, stage sit-in on Tuesday and organise a seven-hour hunger-strike on Wednesday across the country. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, announced the programmes at a press conference at the partys Naya Paltan headquarters yesterday, after ending the two-day nationwide protest against Khaledas imprisonment. He said the programme had been announced to demand the withdrawal of cases against Khaleda and her release from jail. BNP chairpersons adviser, Ataur Rahman Dhali, Farhad Halim Donar, Belal Ahmed, among others, were present at the press conference. Meanwhile, BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman over telephone yesterday asked all the party leaders and activists to work together for the release of Khaleda, restoration of democracy and holding a neutral and participatory election. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said this emerging from a meeting of the party standing committee members and senior party leaders, the first meeting of the BNP policymakers held after the conviction and jailing of party chief Khaleda Zia. He said the meeting, which began at 7:00pm at the party chiefs Gulshan office, demanded the release of all arrested party leaders including standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and withdrawal of all false cases filed against them. He claimed that about 3,500 leaders and activists have been arrested prior to sending Khaleda in jail. Referring to visit of a five-member lawyers team to Khaleda at the jail yesterday Mirza Fakhrul, who presided over the meeting, alleged that she has been kept in a cell in the abandoned jail alone. The BNP yesterday held protest rallies in the city and elsewhere in the country, amid police attack and arrest of many leaders and activists. In Dhaka, law enforcers charged batons on a procession BNP activists had brought out from the Purana Paltan area after Zohr prayers. The procession, led by secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, was brought from the front of the north gate of the Baitul Mukarram Mosque. The police used batons to disperse the BNP men when they reached the Fakirapool water tank area at about 1:30pm. Law enforcers detained several BNP activists. Later, police arrested six leaders and activists, including BNP standing committee member, Nabiullah Nabi, from areas near the party office, BNP leaders claimed. BNP vice-chairman Barkatullah Bulu and Khaleda Zias adviser Joynal Abedin Faruk, organising secretary Fazlul Haque Milon, its publicity affairs secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, BNP leader Mostafizur Rahman Babul also took part in the procession. Another group of BNP leaders and activists brought out a procession from House Building lane near Bijoynagar around 1:25pm. The police chased the BNP men and arrested eight of them, including south city unit leader Nabiullah Nabi. UNB adds: In Comilla, Police arrested four leaders and workers of two local units of BNP-supported Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) yesterday noon. The arrestees include president of the Comilla South unit of Jubo Dal, Ashikur Rahman Mahmud Wasim, also an ex-VP of Comilla Government Victoria College Central Students Union. Police arrested them as they attended a rally arranged to protest the verdict and five year jail sentence of Begum Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust Graft Case. Comilla Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-charge Abu Salam Miya said they were arrested on the basis of specific accusations against them. He, however, did not elaborate. In Chittagong, Police arrested 30 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami during drives at different upazilas from Friday to yesterday morning. Additional superintendent of police of Chittagong Muhammad Rezaul Masud they arrested the BNP-Jamaat activists from Sitakunda, Mirsarai, Phatikchhari, Hathazari, Raozan, Boalkhali, Chandanaish, Satkania, Lohagora and Banshkhali upazilas. The arrestees included 25 BNP men and 5 Jamaat activists. On Friday, they staged demonstrations across the country protesting against Khaleda Zias imprisonment and demanding her release. On Thursday, a Special Court here convicted the former prime minister and sentenced her to five years imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.