BNP to hold black flag marches nationwide on Jan 5

The BNP has announced a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan and black flag marches in districts and Upazilas across the country on Jan 5 to commemorate the fourth year of the tenth national parliamentary elections.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 1 Jan 2018, 09:24 AM
Updated : 1 Jan 2018, 09:24 AM

The BNP says it has not yet received approval from the authority for the venue.

The programme was announced by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday morning.

The BNP says the programme commemorates ‘Killing of Democracy Day’.

“We have announced a Dhaka Metropolitan area rally at Suhrawardy Udyan. Black flag marches will be held simultaneously at the district and Upazila levels on Jan 5.”

Rizvi said the party sent a letter on Saturday to the police and the venue authority asking for permission to hold the rally.

“We have yet to receive a response, but we are taking all necessary preparations for a public rally.”

The BNP secretary general also accused the government and police of arresting and harassing party activists.

On Jan 5, 2014 the BNP-Jamaat alliance attempted to stop the elections, which they boycotted after the Awami League administration refused to hand over power to a caretaker government for the polls.

Many people were killed by firebombs and violence during the BNP-Jamaat called strike.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia called three months of strikes on the first anniversary of the polls in 2015. Over 150 people lost their lives in firebombings and violence over the course of the strike.