Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The BNP-led 18-party alliance will enforce another spell of a 36-hour strike at 6:00am on Tuesday to push for its various demands, including the release of its top leaders.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain announced the shutdown after a secretary general-level meeting of the BNP-led 18-party alliance on Sunday afternoon.

Mr. Mosharraf said the BNP-led 18-party alliance will hold protest rallies across the country, including the capital, on April 27 to press home their demands.

The strike, generally known as hartal call came after a Dhaka court denied bail to top seven BNP leaders, including acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in seven cases filed over March 2 and March 6 violence in city.

The court however granted bail to three BNP lawmakers — Moudud Ahmed, Barkatullah Bulu and Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee — in the cases.

On March 11, police arrested over 150 opposition leaders and activists during a police raid on BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

Earlier, the alliance enforced strikes on March 12, 18, 19, 27 and 28, and April 9 and 10 on the same grounds.

BBN/SSR/AD-21Apr13-9:27 pm (BST)