BNP calls strike May 8, 9

The BNP-led 18-Party alliance has announced nationwide general strikes for two consecutive days -- May 8 and 9 -- from 6am to 6pm.

Police clash with opposition activists in front of the Rajshahi College during an opposition-sponsored 36-hour nationwide shutdown.

BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told reporters on Monday night that they were protesting the ‘crackdown’ of the law enforcers on Hifazat-e Islam and the casualties from the raid at Motijheel.

The decision came from a meeting of the leaders of the opposition alliance presided over by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office.

A 'Ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza' or funeral prayers in absentia will also be held after Asr prayers on Tuesday in front of the BNP’s Naya Paltan headquarters.

Khandaker Mosharraf said during the joint raid of police, RAB and BGB shots were fired randomly and “hundreds of Alems and Ulamas” (Islamic scholars) were killed at the Shapla Intersection on the early hours of Monday amid a blackout. "We have no words to condemn this kind of ruthless killing."

He criticised the government move to clear the busiest intersection in the capital. "Alems and Ulamas had gathered there to protest the insult to the Prophet Mohammad. We are embarrassed in front of the world as a nation for these murders."

Hifazat activists – police say most of them were Jamaat-e-Islami supporters in disguise -- had enforced a siege on Dhaka to press for their 13 demands which include punishing the 'atheist' bloggers and annulment of the women policy.

They went berserk at the capital's Paltan, Gulistan, Bijoynagar from Sunday noon until evening amid their siege. They smashed and torched numerous shops and vehicles in those areas during that time and set fire to the Communist Party of Bangladesh headquarters. The joint raid took place hours later.

The main opposition alleged that dead bodies were ‘concealed’ as law enforcers came down hard on Hifazat-e Islam supporters, also backed by the BNP, to remove them from Motijheel.

Khaleda Zia on Monday night held meetings with party policymakers and the coalition leaders after the 48-hour she had given to the government to reinstate the caretaker government system. But BNP leaders did not say anything whether any decision was taken over the matter.

The opposition chief had given the ultimatum from a rally at Motijheel on Saturday. And Hifazat held the rally at the same place on the following day and declared to stay put there.