Staff Reporter:
The leaders of BNP and some like-minded parties and alliances on Monday urged the government and the Election Commission (EC) to take steps for holding a credible and inclusive election can-celling the January-7 schedule for the 12th parliamentary polls.
They made the call during staging demonstrations and rallies in different areas of the capital in support of their ongoing 48-hour hartal on Monday.
The leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies brought out sudden processions in differ-ent areas, including Karwan Bazar, Doyagonj, Bijoynagar, Purana Paltan, Saidabad, Tejgaon, Motijheel, Jatrabari, Lalbagh, Kakrail, Shantinagar, Dhanmondi, Basabo, Moghbazar, Rampura, Ramna, Shahjahanpur, Khilgaon and Mirpur areas during the second day of the 48-hour hartal.
Besides, Ganatantra Mancha, two factions of Gono Odhikar Parishad, the 12-party alliance LDP, and Left Democratic Alliance also staged demonstrations and rallies in Bijoynagar, Purana Paltan and Jatiya Press Club areas.
From these processions and rallies, the opposition leaders and activists chanted various slogans against the Election Commission and the government for their ‘attempt’ to hold a lopsided elec-tion.
As in the previous days since October 29, BNP’s Nayapaltan central office remained locked on Monday amid the presence of law enforcers on roads on both sides in front of the BNP central of-fice.
BNP senior joint secretary along with some party leaders and workers brought out a sudden proces-sion in the Karwan Bazar area around 6:30am in support of the hartal.
Later, he also brought out another procession in the Doyagonj area and held a rally there together with 15-20 opposition activists.
Addressing the rally, Rizvi said the current government will not be able to hang onto power this time by holding a lopsided election.
“People won’t let the ruling party and the Election Commission hold any election in the country without a non-partisan neutral government,” he said.
He alleged that the government has been continuing the crackdown on the opposition leaders and workers by arresting them, and their relatives and raiding their houses.
“But the leaders and activists of BNP and the like-minded parties are spontaneously taking to the streets to observe the hartal peacefully”
Rizvi said people will not leave the streets until the fall of the current ‘illegitimate’ government. “
“We believe that the government will soon be forced to resign accepting the demands of the peo-ple.”
The leaders and activists of Ganatantra Mancha brought out a procession around 11am at Bijoyna-gar towards the Jatiya Press Club in support of the hartal. Later, they held a brief rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club.
