BNP statement calls shutdown again from Sunday, blockade continues

The BNP has once again issued a statement, announcing a 72-hour shutdown from Sunday after enforcing general strikes on working days in the past two weeks along with a blockade.

The statement, signed by party’s Joint Secretary Salahuddin Ahmed, said on Friday that the shutdown would be effective throughout Bangladesh from 6am on Sunday to 6am on Wednesday.

The indefinite transport blockade would also continue, it said.

The party issued statements at the beginning of the past two weeks announcing shutdown from Sunday to Wednesday. The shutdowns were then extended to Thursday evenings.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia called the blockade on Jan 5 demanding snap polls under a nonpartisan caretaker administration.

After being obstructed by the police to leave her office over programmes on Jan 5, the first anniversary of the last general election boycotted by the party and its partners, Khaleda has been staying at her Gulshan office since Jan 3.

She has not left the office even after police lifted the barricade.

As top BNP leaders are in jail in cases that accuse them of vandalising and torching vehicles, the BNP has been issuing the statements by cutting and pasting Salahuddin’s signature.

The BNP leader, however, is not making any public appearance.

No leader of the alliance spoke about the shutdown as was also the case in the past two weeks.

Due to the shutdowns, the SSC examinations cannot be held other than on Fridays and Saturdays.