BNP to stage countrywide protest rallies on Monday

BNP will hold public rallies across the country on Monday protesting against what the party said was oppression on opposition leaders and activists during their Saturday’s sit-in programme at different entrances of the capital.

BNP Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office around 7:15pm on Saturday.

He said public rallies will be held in all metropolitan cities and district towns.

“We thought of announcing our protests programme for tomorrow (Sunday). But we came to know that the ruling party declared a street programme for Sunday. So, we decided not to announce our programme on the same day to avoid chaos,” Fakhrul said.

He hoped that the government would not create any obstruction to holding BNP’s democratic peaceful and protest programme.

According to statistics provided by Fakhrul, over 100 BNP leaders and activists of the party, including its standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Dhaka north city unit convener Amanullah Aman, were injured by police and the ruling party men during the sit-in programme in the capital.

Besides, the party claimed 124 opposition leaders and activists, including BNP organising secretary Abdus Salam Azad, were arrested.

Meanwhile, BNP’s sit-in programme at the key entry points of Dhaka was marred by clashes and violence on Saturday.

Several vehicles were torched in different areas, including Matuail and Shyamoli, during the clashes between BNP activists and police.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said they arrested at least 90 opposition leaders and activists while 20 law enforcers were injured during the clashes.