The opposition has called the hartal to deter the festive mood of elections in the country, Awami League leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif said on Saturday morning.
“Awami League will begin the sale of nomination papers from tomorrow (Sunday). Already there is a festive mood in the country,” he said.
“The hartal has been called to spoil this mood,” the Awami League joint general secretary said while briefing the media at the party's Dhanmondi office.
BNP-led opposition 18-party alliance called a nationwide 72-hour shutdown which was later extended by 12 more hours.
This is the third hartal in three consecutive weeks. Previous hartals have claimed the lives of many people.
Hanif blamed the casualties on BNP.
He alleged that the BNP has swerved from dialogue and engaged in violent activities whenever the Awami League has offered talks.
The upcoming national elections are likely to happen by mid January next year. However the two top political parties, the Awami League and the BNP, are in disagreement over how the elections should take place.
The ruling Awami League wants an all-party cabinet to oversee the elections and are seemingly moving ahead with their plans. They had earlier offered the BNP an opportunity to engage in a dialogue about this plan.
However the BNP are continuing their hartals, and demanding a non-partisan caretaker government. They have also agreed to unconditional secretary-level talks with the Awami League.
