The BNP-led 18-party alliance held a protest rally in front of its city unit party office ‘Nasiman Bhaban’ in Chittagong city’s Kajir Dewri yesterday afternoon as part of their country-wide programme.
Activists and leaders of the alliance protested the formation of the all-party cabinet and demanded the unconditional release of all leaders and activists.
They also demanded formation of a non-partisan caretaker government to conduct a free and fair election.
Several hundred leaders and activists of the alliance, chanting slogans and holding banners, thronged the BNP party office around 4pm where some agitated alliance men lit fires on the road using bamboo, sticks and other wastes.
The rally was continued till 5pm and vehicular movement on the road was stopped for one hour, causing suffering to townspeople.
Speakers at the rally included Abdullah Al Noman, vice-chairman of BNP; Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin, adviser of BNP chairperson; Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, president and Shahadat Hossain, general secretary of the city unit of BNP; and Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker ANM Shamsul Islam.
Speakers said if BNP would form the government for the next time, Awami League government would face trial on charges of changing the country’s constitution for their own interest.
The people of Bangladesh never tolerate the AL’s autocratic conduct for holding power, the speakers added.
They urged the government to come into the track of democracy and introduce non-partisan neutral interim government for free and fair polls.