Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-The BNP-called ongoing 72-hour countrywide strike which is due to end Wednesday morning in Bangladesh was extended till 6:00am Friday.
The 20-party alliance extended the strike to protest the disconnection of internet, telephone and cable television lines and jamming of the mobile phone network to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office.
More than six hour after severing the power line on January 31, the authorities concerned disconnect the cable, internet and telephone services and also jammed the mobile phone network to Khaleda’s office.
Khaleda, also a former premier of the country, has been staying inside her Gulshan office since January 3.
The fresh announcement came through a press statement.
The alliance is also protesting crackdown on the party leaders and activists including killing, repression and arrest.
From January 5, Bangladesh has been witnessing frequent general strike alongside a non-stop blocked enforced by the 20-party alliance.
The first week of February also experienced a five-working day shutdown like the running week.
Friday and Saturday are weekend in Bangladesh.
Earlier on February 1, the BNP threatened the government with enforcing a non-stop strike along with the indefinite blockade if the mobile network, internet and cable television connections to BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office are not restored immediately.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan allegedly threatened Khaleda on January 30 saying that if the BNP chief does not withdraw the non-stop blockade before the SSC examinations, the electricity and the water supply lines to her Gulshan office will be disconnected.
In the face of the strike, the government has already rescheduled the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations for third times.
The SSC examinations are scheduled to begin from February 2.
Now the examinations are being held only on Friday and Saturday.
The party is enforcing the non-stop roads and waterways blockade coupled with frequent strike demanding a fresh election.
The alliances also protest the confinement of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her party Gulshan office and arrest of party leaders and activists.
More than 19 hours after severing the electricity service to Khaleda’s Gulshan office, the Bangladesh government restored it on January 31.
Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO), the state-owned power supply company, had disconnected the power connection to the house of Khaleda, a former premier of the country, around 2:45am without showing any legal reason.
On the same day, the Bangladesh government had disconnect the cable, internet and telephone services and also jammed the mobile phone network to Khaleda’s office.
DESCO disconnected the electricity line to Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office on instruction of top authorities of Gulshan Police, Moksed Ali, a lineman of the DESCO, told reporters without elaborating the incident.
Khaleda called the blockade after she was barred from coming out of her Gulshan office on January 5.
BNP said its party chief was “confined” but the government denied the allegation though it had put additional law enforcers and sand-laden trucks in front of Khaleda’s office.
The government however removed the security barriers after 16 days on January 19.
So far, at least 70 people, mostly innocent, were killed and dozens including law enforcers injured in the mindless act of arson and petrol bomb attacks across the country during the blockade and strike.
Hundreds of vehicles were also torched and vandalised during the political agitation.
BBN/SS/AA-10Feb15-3:00pm (BST)