BNP to hold protest against load shedding on Thursday, youth rallies later on

The BNP is going to stage sit-ins in front of electricity offices across the country on Thursday to protest against frequent load shedding amid heatwaves.

The opposition party has also announced plans to hold six youth rallies in different regions this month and the next to incorporate new voters in active politics, as part of efforts to strengthen its ongoing anti-government movement.

These decisions were made at the BNP standing committee meeting, Senior joint Secretary-General of the party Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told reporters at the party's headquarters in the capital's Nayapaltan on Tuesday.

"The power sector is in a terrible state due to irregularities of the Awami League-led government. Unbearable power outages are happening all over the country, and in protest of this, we will hold sit-in programmes in front of district-level electricity offices on Thursday," he added and noted that they will also give memorandums to the authorities concerned.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh police have been asked to remain alert to prevent any unwanted situation amid frequent load shedding, officials familiar with the matter told The Business Standard.

In a recent letter to district superintendents of police and all unit chiefs, the police headquarters called for increased vigilance at all power and energy-related establishments.

"The directive has been made so that no one can carry out any subversive activities capitalising on the present situation. All policemen, even at the rural-level, must be extra cautious now," Md Atiqul Islam, additional inspector general of police, said.

BNP sources said the party has been continuously strengthening the anti-government movement and the latest initiative is part of it. After Thursday's programme, the BNP will gear up for youth rallies – to be held in Chattogram on 11 June, Bogra on 17 June, Khulna on 7 July, Barisal on 15 July, Sylhet on 22 July and Dhaka on 29 July.

The objective of the rallies is to make aware the new voters and the youth who failed to vote for the last two terms of their voting rights and involve them in the anti-government movement.

The BNP will also hold two to three larger programmes in Dhaka in the second half of this month. The opposition party is also strengthening diplomatic activities ahead of the 12th national election.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir held a one-and-a-half-hour meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas on Tuesday. Earlier on 4 June, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Organising Secretary Shama Obaid held a meeting with Japanese Ambassador Yama Kiminori.