48hr hartal: Rizvi leads BNP march, Jamaat holds rallies in parts of Dhaka
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi led a procession march and sit-in programme in the capital today to enforce the nationwide 48-hour hartal called by BNP, Jamaat and like-minded parties.
The procession march started from the city's Karwan Bazar at around 7:30am on Monday (20 November.)
Moving towards the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel with the procession, BNP leaders and activists blocked the adjacent roads.
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At that time, Central BNP Health Secretary Dr Md Rafiqul Islam, former councillor Nilufar Yasmin Nilu, Chhatra Dal Central Union Joint General Secretary Dr Awal, Juba Dal Central Committee former co-organising secretary Sohel Rana, Eden Women's College Chhatra Dal senior Joint Convener Syeda Sumaiya and others were present.
On the 2nd day of the 48-hour hartal, Jagannath University Chhatra Dal brought out a procession in support of the strike.
Chhatra Dal activists also brought out a procession in the capital's Moghbazar area.
Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal activists brought out processions in support of the hartal in Narayanganj this morning.
During this time, they set fire to the roads to block them.
Narayanganj Jubo Dal brought out a protest march in the Khanpur area of the Adamji-Chashadha new road.
The procession was led by the convenor of the organisation Monirul Islam Sajal and member secretary Shahed Ahmed. They took a stand at Hajiganj intersection and blocked the road by setting fire to it.
On the other hand, at 6:30am in the morning, the leaders and activists of the Narayanganj Chhatra Dal staged a procession and started a fire in the Siddhirganj area of the Chashadha-Chattogram road.
They chanted chanted slogans demanding the resignation of the government and elections under a non-partisan caretaker government.
Chhatra Dal leaders and activists staged a protest march, led by Chhatra Dal central Committee Senior Joint General Secretary Rakibul Islam Rakib, in the capital's Bijoynagar .
Starting from the Bijoynagar water tank area, the procession moved through Paltan and Nightingale intersection before culminating in a brief demonstration in front of the water tank at Bijoynagar, where the march had started.
Brief disruptions to traffic on roads between Bijoynagar and Paltan occurred during the demonstration, prompting police intervention and the dispersal of protesters from the area.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami has brought out rallies in parts of Dhaka on the second day of the 48-hour hartal called by the party in demand of the resignation of the government, non-partisan caretaker government during national polls, controlling price hike of daily necessities, releasing Jamaat leaders, including Amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman.
Party leaders and activists this morning brought out processions in various parts of the city in support of the strike.
In Mirpur, a protest march was held in Pallabi while activists also rallied in Kafrul and Shewrapara.
Another rally was brought out by the Dhaka Metropolitan North unit of Jamaat at Kallyanpur bus stand.
In support of the hartal, a protest rally was held in Mohammadpur area led by Jamaat's Mohammadpur (West) unit Secretary Masuduzzaman.
The city's Mogbazar, Bhatara, and Rampura also witnessed morning processions held under the banner of different units of Jamaat.
Besides, Jamaat's Dhaka Metropolitan South Unit members and activists brought out protest marches in Shahjahanpur, Demra, Bangabazar, and Jatrabari.
On Sunday, Rizvi said BNP will continue to exist in this country as long as the red-green flag remains on the world map. He made the remark in response to a comment by the Prime Minister's ICT adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy who predicted that no party named BNP would exist in the country after 10-15 years.
He said the one-point movement, demanding the resignation of the Awami League government and the restoration of the caretaker government, has spread across the country.
"Bangladesh is sensing the approaching footsteps of a mass upsurge," he added.
Rizvi reported that more than 510 BNP activists have been arrested in the last 24 hours, with 18 more cases filed against 2,085 people during this period. One BNP member died, and 100 were injured during this period.
Moreover, more than 13,720 leaders and activists have been arrested since 4-5 days before the BNP's October 28 rally. More than 314 cases have been filed, resulting in 15 deaths, including a journalist, and over 4,233 injuries.
Following the fifth phase of the countrywide blockade, today marks the second day of the 48-hour hartal which is being observed by BNP, Jamaat, and like-minded opposition parties across the country this morning.
