BNP, Jamaat announce 48-hour blockade on Wednesday, Thursday

The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have announced a 48-hour blockade starting on Wednesday (6 December) to press home their demand for cancelling the 12th national elections schedule.

"The strike will be enforced at 6:00 am on Wednesday," said BNP Senior Joint Secretary-General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, announcing the tenth round of blockades on roads, railways, and waterways, which will end at 6:00am on Friday (8 December). 

Jamaat's acting secretary general  Maulana ATM Masum announced his party's programme in a statement today. 

The party will also hold a human chain programme on Sunday, the statement added.

Earlier on 2 December, the Awami League announced a rally in the capital on 10 December to mark the International Human Rights Day. 

The rally under the banner of Dhaka metropolitan south Awami League will be held at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 3:00pm.

"To mark the Human Rights Day on 10 December, a rally has been arranged demanding prompt justice for the families of victims affected by the BNP-Jamaat's arson attacks," reads the release.

The Awami League also wrote to the returning officer and the divisional commissioner of Dhaka, seeking permission to hold the rally.

Throughout November, the majority of the days were marked by phases of hartals and blockades. 

Political turmoil has engulfed the country since 28 October when opposition demonstrations were marked by clashes, deaths and violence. 

The BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and other parties have been declaring hardline political programmes since then to realise their demands.