Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan yesterday threatened to confine Khaleda Zia if the BNP chairperson failed to withdraw the countrywide indefinite blockade within January 30.
Addressing a rally in front of the capital’s National Press Club, the Awami League leader also urged the BNP chief to stop killing innocent people including women, children and labourers who lived a hand-to-mouth existence.
“If you [Khaleda] do not stop terrorising in the name of a blockade programme, the country’s people will encircle you after January 30,” the minister said.
He also urged Khaleda, who announced the 20-party alliance’s non-stop blockade on January 5, to visit the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital to see the sufferings of innocent victims of BNP-Jamaat’s petrol bomb attacks.
Also addressing the event, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad) lawmaker Shirin Akhter said: “Khaleda Zia is trying to lay siege against not only the workers, but all the people by enforcing her terror in the name of blockade.
The Sramik-Karmachari-Peshajibi-Muktijoddha Samannoy Parishad, a new platform to resist anarchy and violence of BNP-Jamaat, organised yesterday’s rally to also place a 10-point demand. The platform is also scheduled to stage a rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan on January 30.
On Thursday, pro-Awami League labour organisations tried to lay siege to Khaleda Zia’s political office in Gulshan; but their attempt was foiled by the police. They later staged a sit-in at the Gulshan 2 intersection and threatened to go on a hunger strike unless the blockade was lifted. The BNP-led 20-party alliance has been enforcing nationwide non-stop roads and waterways blockade since January 6.
During the 18 days of blockade, violence by pickets has killed over 30 people – many of them women and children. Petrol bomb attacks and vandalism have also damaged hundreds of vehicles including those belonging to law enforcers.