BNP’s Union-Level March Starts Countrywide

The leaders and activists of main opposition BNP and its associate bodies have started march in all the unions across the country to press home their 10-point demand - most importantly, to hold the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.

Besides, Ganatantra Mancha, Ganatantrik Bam Oikya, the 12-Party Alliance, Samamona Jote, LDP, Gonoforum, and People’s Party, are observing a similar programme in the different areas of the capital as part of their simultaneous movement, reports UNB.

Ganatantra Mancha is observing the programme at the divisional and district levels.

BNP senior leaders said their programme will be observed only at the union level as part of the party’s move to involve people from the grassroots in their ongoing anti-government movement.

On February 4, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the march programme at the union level from a rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office.

“Our program this time will be at the union level. We’ll march at the union level across the country on February 11 (Saturday), as part of the simultaneous movement to protest against the increase in prices of daily necessities, including gas electricity, rice and lentils and for the restoration of democracy, the resignation of the government and implementation of our 10-point demand,” he said.

Talking to UNB on Friday, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the main goal of their march programme at all unions is to spread the ongoing movement at the grassroots level.

“Our movement will get a new dimension through our march programme at the union level,” he said.

It was the fifth program of the simultaneous movement after the mass processions on December 24 and 30, sit-in on January 11 and rallies, processions on January 16 and rallies on January 25 and February 4.

12 activists injured in clash with police

Twelve BNP activists were injured in a clash between police and BNP during their ongoing union-level march at Panchrukhi in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj district on Saturday.

BNP former joint secretary of district unit Lutfur Rahman said they brought out a procession as part of their scheduled march programme at union level around 10am.

When the procession reached Panchrukhi, police obstructed them, leading to a chase and counter-chase.

Police also lobbed tear gas shells and charged baton to disperse them, leaving 12 people injured.

The injured were given first aid.