The BNP-led 20-party alliance on Saturday called a nationwide daylong hartal for Monday, protesting the foiling of its scheduled Gazipur rally. BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the shutdown programme after an emergency meeting of the secretaries general of the 20-party combine at BNP chief’s Gulshan office in the afternoon. The hartal that will begin at 6am and end at 6pm is also meant for registering protest against the arrest of the alliance leaders and demanding the release of those arrested. The 20-party was scheduled to hold the rally at Bhawal Badre Alam Government College ground in Gazipur on Saturday in the district as part of its countrywide mass campaign to mobilise public support in favour of their demand for holding a fresh inclusive election under a non-party administration. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was scheduled to address the rally. But the rally was foiled after the local administration imposed Section 144 on the rally venue as the ruling party men took over the college ground to hold a rally at the same time. The alliance enforced a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Gazipur and staged demonstrations across the country on Saturday protesting the foiling of the rally.
