The BNP-led four-party alliance yesterday announced a two-day programme instead of a fresh date for its postponed March 29 hartal. The opposition will organise processions and rallies in all upazilas, districts and cities on April 11 and 25 to protest the increase in electricity prices, the government's “failure to address water and gas crises” and the incidents of “forced disappearances.”
“We planned our programmes for April keeping people's interest in mind. Since the HSC examinations will be held in April, we announced a two-day programme so that people do not suffer,” acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a four-party alliance rally in front of BNP's Nayapaltan office in Dhaka.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at a grand rally on March 12 in the capital declared a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for March 29 to protest the government's “obstructions” to holding the rally.
The opposition on Sunday called it off as the hartal day coincided with “Astami Snan,” a religious observance of the Hindus.
| And because few showed up. But mostly because few showed up. |
Fakhrul at yesterday's rally urged the government to create a level playing field for all for the next general election.
| Translation: "we don't have a chance!" Next step is a boycott. |
Meanwhile, the Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque said that Speaker Abdul Hamid lost his neutrality by criticising Khaleda Zia in the House. Farroque said the party would rethink whether it should return to the next parliament session.
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