BNP to hold demo on Feb 8 for release of Khaleda

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday announced that it would hold a rally in front of the party’s central office at Naya Paltan in the capital on February 8 demanding immediate release of the party’s imprisoned chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

The party also planned to hold protest rallies on the day in all district headquarters and arrange prayer sessions after jumma prayers for early recovery of the party chief.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement in a press briefing at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office in Dhaka after holding a joint meeting with the party leaders and leaders of different associate organisations there.

Two years ago, on February 8, 2018, Khaleda was jailed by a special court in Dhaka in a graft case which BNP and its allies had been terming false and fabricated.

Ailing Khaleda was shifted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on April 1, 2019 and she had been undergoing treatment there since then.

BNP secretary general said that they would publish posters and leaflets on the occasion.

Earlier in the morning, Jatiya Oikya Front in a meeting of its steering committee decided to hold a meeting in Dhaka on February 8 in protest at the imprisonment of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia and in demand of her immediate release.

BNP on Tuesday also staged demonstration across the Dhaka city protesting against ‘massive rigging’ in the city elections and demanding cancellation of the election results, restoration of democracy, and immediate and unconditional release of the party’s chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The BNP leaders and activists staged the demonstrations by bringing out processions in their respective thana areas and chanted slogans against the Election Commission, the government and the use of electronic voting machines.

Shahbagh thana unit of BNP brought out a procession from near Dhaka Medical College Hospital and ended at Central Shaheed Mina after parading roads through Chankharpul.

Similar processions were held at different thana areas including Kamrangirchar, Gendaria, Demra, Motijheel, Jatrabari, Mugda, Paltan, Sabujbagh, Kadamtali, Sutrapur, Wari, Kotwali, Chawkbazar, Lalbagh, Shahjahanpur, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, Hazaribagh, Bangshal and Khilgaon, a press release issued by Dhaka south city BNP said.

Another press release issued by Dhaka north city BNP said that different thana units, including Pallabi, Badda, Turag, Rupnagar, Rampura, Kafrul, Darussalam and Tejgaon brought out separate processions to press home their demands.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net