Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-The BNP-led 20-party alliance has called another spell of 72-hour general strike in Bangladesh from March 22 to protest “arrest of BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed”.
The newly appointed spokesperson of BNP, Barkatullah Bulu, made the announcement of the fresh strike through a press statement Saturday.
The shutdown will continue till 6:00am Wednesday starting from 6:00am Sunday, said Bulu, also the joint secretary general of BNP.
BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed remained traceless since Tuesday night.
His family alleged that law enforcers in plainclothes picked the leader up from his Uttara residence in Dhaka, a claimed that law enforcers rejected repeatedly.
Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said they had no idea where Salahuddin was.
Salahuddin, a former state minister, by issuing press statements frequently called countrywide strike which Bangladesh has been witnessing since January 5.
In the statement, Bulu also urged the government to accept the demands of the BNP chief to bring an end to the ongoing political deadlock.
On Friday, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia demanded a logical conclusion and dialogue to resolve the crisis.
“The movement will continue until a logical conclusion is achieved. It will meet its desired goal immediately,” the BNP chief said while addressing at a press conference at her Gulshan office in Dhaka Friday afternoon.
The fresh 72-hour strike will continue alongside the ongoing non-stop blockade of roads, rail and waterways, the press release said.
Earlier, the strikes were called demanding a new national election, restoration of democracy and voting rights and protesting the killing of opposition men in the name of crossfire and mass arrests.
Bangladesh has been experiencing the indefinite blockade alongside frequent general strike since January 5 demanding a fresh election.
So far, over nearly 100 people mostly innocent were killed and several hundred injured in political violence centering the blocked and strike in Bangladesh.
The political brutality forced the international community to call both the ruling Awami League and opposition BNP to call restrain and establish democratic rights in the country.
BBN/ASI/AD-21Mar15-3:00pm (BST)