BNP-Jamaat declare 3-day stir

Dhaka, June 18 (bdnews24.com) ? Opposition BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami have separately declared three-day agitation programmes in protest against a number of government decisions.

The two parties announced their programmes from two news conferences on Saturday.

At BNP's Nayapaltan head office, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said rallies would be held on June 21 and 28 in Dhaka city and elsewhere in the country to protest the price hike of fertiliser and agricultural produces, fuel, gas and transport fare.

On June 23, Fakhrul said, similar programmes will be held in the capital and the port city of Chittagong, protesting the government 'failure' to stabilise the share market.

Meanwhile, Jamaat acting secretary general A T M Azharul Islam announced similar programmes for the same days at a news conference at the party's Maghbazar head office.

Earlier, the opposition enforced a day-long lockdown on June 5, while a 36-hour non-stop nationwide shutdown on June 12 and 13, demanding that the caretaker government system be retained.

"The month-long programmes have been declared as part of our non-stop anti-government campaign. The four-party alliance members, including BNP and other allies, will jointly observe the programmes," Fakhrul said.

The opposition held rallies around the country on June 15 and 16 protesting police 'atrocities' and punishment by mobile courts during the hartal on June 12 and 13.

Before announcing the programmes, Fakhrul joined a meeting with other allies like JAGPA, NPP, Labour Party and NAP at the BNP office.

At the Jamaat press conference, Azharul Islam said, "The country is now passing through various crises. The government has completely failed to address water-gas and power crises, the sparing prices and deteriorating law and order."

The protest programmes were announced as the last resort to force the government to get over the problems, he said.

The programmes include submitting memoranda to deputy commissioners and upazila executive officers (UNO) across the country on June 21 to protest hike of fertiliser, seeds and other agri-inputs.

Besides, the party will hold agitation programmes in Dhaka and Chittagong cities on June 23, demanding punishment of those responsible for the share market debacle.

It will hold a similar programme on June 28 across the country to protest the spiraling fuel and CNG prices.

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