JS polls schedule: Ganatantra Mancha, LDA, Labour Party call for hartal

Ganatantra Mancha, Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) and Bangladesh Labour Party have called for hartal protesting the Election Commission's announcing the schedule for the upcoming 12th national elections on Wednesday (15 November).

Junaid Saki, one of the leaders of the political alliance called for a day-long hartal on Thursday (16 November). 

"Prime Minister said yesterday (Tuesday) that the schedule will be announced in a day or two. The Election Commission (EC) has jurisdiction to announce the schedule. Prime Minister announced it, Awami League ministers also said when the schedule will be announced. How independent the EC is can be understood through these," he added.

"People will not accept it. A fair election under party government has not happened before, a fair election under the Awami League is not possible, this has been proved," he further said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Labour Party Chairman Dr Mostafizur Rahman Iran called for nationwide hartal on 19-20 November in protest 

"People will continue peaceful non-violent programmes on the streets protesting the terrorism, anarchy, misrule, looting and money laundering of Awami League," he said at a rally in Dhaka on Wednesday.

A platform of left-leaning political parties in the country, the LDA has called for a nationwide half-day general strike on Thursday protesting the announcement of the polls schedule.

"We will observe the strike from 6:00am to 2:00pm tomorrow," said Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPD) General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince, who is also a leader of the LDA, on Wednesday.

On the other hand, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed has said that the government has thrown the people into a burning fire by announcing the election schedule.

"Entire nation should stand united to bring back the voting rights of the people. Youth should come forward. The country must be protected," he said.